Fateful Meetings
by Acissej123456
Summary: Set in Feudal Japan. Kagome is an orphaned miko living on the outskirts of the Western Lands. One day, she finds an injured Sesshomaru in the forest and heals him. Her adventure begins as fateful encounters slowly draw her into the society of demons.
1. Chapter 1

*Author Note: I almost forgot...Disclaimer - Inuyasha and all its characters that I'm using do not belong to me. Also, I changed all the backgrounds of the characters. Sorry if it's a little slow or confusing in the beginning. I welcome any comments on how to improve...lol or any reviews in general.*

It was Kagome's 18th birthday, and she had just gotten the last worldly possessions of her late parents. Kaede, her teacher, had saved her mother's bow and her father's prayer beads after their deaths. She had originally planned to bequeath these items to Kagome once she came into her powers around age 21. Usually a miko's powers grow rapidly once she hits puberty, and gradually plateaus when she reaches maturity.

However, Kagome was always different. While her powers blossomed in puberty, they were nowhere near steady state at 18. In fact, her powers seemed to spike higher with each year. By 15, she already had the greatest amount of spiritual power of all the mikos in the village. Now at 18, Kagome had at least doubled that power.

Kaede didn't know what to make of her scary spiritual growth, but she wasn't entirely surprised given that Kagome's mother was Midoriko, one of the greatest mikos in history. Her father, Shinsen, wasn't anything to laugh about either. His carefree attitude beguiled his keen perception and extraordinary spiritual skills. Unfortunately they died when Kagome was 10 and were unable to fully pass on their legacy.

The bow and prayer beads didn't have any value besides sentimentality. Both were made of ordinary wood and mediocre jade. However, they were the only keepsakes Kagome had of her parents besides the house. And even that, Kaede had to fight tooth and nail against the village to reserve for Kagome. Kagome has been living there alone ever since. Kaede made sure to drop by and take care of her every few days, in addition to their daily tutoring sessions. After all these years, there was little else to teach the girl. In fact, Kagome was now taking care of _her_.

Since Kagome's powers didn't seem like they would peak anytime soon, Kaede decided not to save the keepsakes any longer. Kagome was mature enough, and she had definitely inherited that uncanny perception from her father. Kaede watched Kagome disappear into the trees with bow and beads in hand.

Kagome was trekking deeper into the forest around her house near the outskirts of the village. Her presents brought on a raging storm of clashing feelings. While the worn wood and smooth jade were priceless treasures to her, they also dredged up memories Kagome had safely locked up in her heart.

The world had come crashing down on her at the tender age of ten when her parents died. 'No. Murdered.' She had been ten, not stupid. The villagers hated her parents for being pacifists.

They were a village dominated by mikos and monks. What did they have to fear of demons? They thought. In their arrogance, they could not understand why Midoriko and Shinsen wanted to make peace with the filthy demons. They scoffed at the idea of pledging loyalty to Lord Sesshomaru, demon lord of the Western Lands in which the village was situated in. They didn't need the mass murdering demon lord's "protection". The villagers couldn't see that they were already inadvertently benefiting from his protection just by being in his territory.

Kagome remembered her mother heatedly arguing with the village chief. Neither side had relented, and in the end, Shinsen had to drag Midoriko away before she started firing arrows into the fray. Her dad was always the calm one in the family.

Shortly thereafter, her parents had gone to peace negotiations to secure a spot under Lord Sesshomaru's reign at least for their family and Kaede, who was mentor to Midoriko as well. That's when everything fell apart.

The meeting place was a trap, and Kagome's parents were ambushed by hundreds of low and mid-level demons. Midoriko and Shinsen were strong, but human nonetheless. They were finally overcome by fatigue after four days of almost continuous onslaught.

However, the part that finally broke something in Kagome was the villagers. They _knew._ Unnoticed in the marketplace, Kagome had heard the monks and mikos talking to each other. "Why don't they give up? How are they still alive after 3 days? You don't think he will run out of demons before they die…Those Higurashis are monsters…"

They knew. Not only did the village not send help, but they had played a part in her parents' demise. 'Why would they do this? How could they do this? How many knew? Who orchestrated it? And how? Wouldn't they have had to interact with demons in order to get the deed done? Hypocrites.'

The questions only increased as Kagome matured and began to understand all the dark implications. Now looking back on it, she was foolish to believe even initially that the ambush was ordered by Sesshomaru. The Killing Perfection sending low and mid-level demons for the job? Kagome didn't need to be observant to know it wasn't his style.

Pushing down her bitterness, Kagome readied an arrow on her mother's bow and let it fly. The arrow hit true to the center of a large oak, but the creak of brittle wood and snap of unraveling gut string was unmistakable. Kagome sighed. Looks like her mother's bow will be hanging from the mantle instead of on her back.

Not too far away, the sound of a growl brought Kagome out of her reverie. 'Wow, I must really have been zoning out to have a youki come this close to me undetected,' she thought. Kagome started walking in the direction of the unmoving youki when a second, much larger youki started closing in on the first. Another growl, yelp, and the smaller youki was flying closer to her.

Kagome broke into a run, soon coming out into a clearing. A young, injured winged wolf demon was getting batted around by a grotesque, barely humanoid lizard. He was playing with the poor winged wolf.

In her anger, Kagome's aura skyrocketed. "Hey ugly! Pick on someone your own size," Kagome yelled while aiming an arrow right between the lizard's beady eyes.

"Food…Mine!" it hissed before attacking Kagome. She let go of the arrow and the lizard exploded into purified dust. "Hmm…that might have been overkill," she mumbled to herself. Turning her attention to the injured pup, she hurried over to his side.

"Are you okay?" An unimpressive growl and fur raising was the response. Kagome surveyed the pup and had to stifle her giggle. The pup couldn't have been a year old yet. Combined with his miniature wings and cute growl, Kagome had to resist squealing in delight. Young he may be, but the pup was still a demon, and thus a lot smarter and more prideful than a standard wolf.

"Hey little one, I'm not going to hurt you. I'll protect you," Kagome gently cooed. The pup was still too wary of her. So she grabbed some jerky from her satchel. She threw the peace offering next to the pup's head. After a few sniffs, the pup hungrily wolfed it down. He was obviously malnourished.

"Will you let me heal you now?" The pup had stopped growling, which Kagome took as consent. Slowly approaching, she let the pup sniff her hand before she pet his head. A few strokes and ear scratches later, the pup was purring at her feet.

"You're a cute fellow. I wonder why your wings are so small though. I thought even young winged wolves had large wings." The pup stiffened and whined softly. "Oh. You were born that way huh. Is that why you're not with your pack?" His ears flattened, but he made no sound. That was all the confirmation Kagome needed.

"Well, I think you are the cutest winged wolf I have ever seen. You are going to grow up to be such a handsome, strong wolf," Kagome cheerfully chirped. She then did a quick survey. The pup was surprisingly unscathed for being a lizard's kick ball – one broken hind leg, and some scratches. Kagome placed her hand above his injuries and began healing them with her miko powers.

Ten minutes later the pup was standing and barking his thanks. "Easy there. Don't use that leg too much yet. It's going to be sore and a little weak for the next day or two." After a pause, Kagome looked the pup squarely in the eye. "Would you like to come with me? You can live with me. You don't have to, but I'd be more than happy to have you."

The pup considered this for a moment before licking Kagome's chin.

"It's settled then!" Kagome picked up the pup and headed home. "I wonder what your name is? How about Toto? Maka?...How about Vallen, for brave? Do you like Vallen?..." And so, Vallen became Kagome's new family.


	2. Chapter 2

One year later.

Sesshomaru transformed back into humanoid form and landed in the forest just inside his lands after defeating the Northern Dragon Lord Ryukotsusei.

Ryukotsusei, having once been humiliating defeated by Inu no Taisho finally broke free from his seal and sought vengeance. After taking back the northern lands' throne, he had rapidly built an army to conquer the Western Lands and crush Sesshomaru.

Given that the grudge was seeded by his family, Sesshomaru felt honor bound to finish off what his father had started. He had issued a preemptive challenge to Ryukotsusei to prevent war from ravaging his lands.

Sesshomaru had just killed the great dragon demon and was severly depleted of his youki. He was sporting many non-fatal wounds and a broken left arm. Sesshomaru needed to hunt and hurry to a safe and secluded place to recover.

Just as he was about to scent for prey, Sesshomaru felt a band of 30 or so spiritual beings enclosing on him. He mentally cursed himself for missing their masked auras until he was surrounded. Under normal circumstances, he would have detected them even with their auras and scents hidden. Refusing to run away from mere humans, spiritual powers or not, he pulled out his sword.

On cue, 12 monks cast their binding spell on him as a slew of mikos and monks burst from the trees.

Sesshomaru flexed his youki to break the bind, but it held steady. Were their powers so strong, or was he more fatigued than he had surmised? The thought raced through his mind in a split second.

Quickly overcoming his surprise, he called forth all of his remaining youki, blasting the binds away and killing the monks in the process. The mikos, who were already poised to fire, simultaneously let go of their arrows.

Just a moment too slow, Sesshomaru could only manage to avoid getting pierced in the most vital areas by the arrows. The purification powers scorched his body, taking away his breath. His eyes bled red and he snarled viciously. His dwindling youki was rapidly getting overtaken by the seven deadly arrows.

With a broken left arm and a right arm riddled with purification arrows, Sesshomaru could not wield his heavy sword, nor control his poison whip. Falling back on his natural poison, he flung dokkasou on the 20 or so remaining holy beings.

Without waiting to see how many died and how many were merely injured by the attack, Sesshomaru took off southward to his Citadel. He had to get to a healer fast. His run was only slightly faster than a human's top sprint, and he was losing feeling in his right leg where an arrow had pierced his thigh.

Ten minutes later, he was clawing at trees for support as he felt his body get heavier. He was still on the outskirts of his lands, nowhere near a good healer or even a decent shelter. He recalled a secluded cave about ten miles south and 70 feet up a mountain drop. There was no way he would reach it in his condition.

Sesshomaru bent over and violently coughed up mouthfuls of blood. His right lung was definitely punctured.

Meanwhile, Kagome had come upon the feral demon lord while returning from a friendly bear demon village near her home. She had drawn her bow and arrow when she felt a youkai nearby, but soon lowered her stance when she found the creature hacking up blood leaning against a tree.

The demon was losing the battle against the myriad of purification arrows sapping his body. Kagome didn't know what to do. If he had been hunted by so many mikos, then there must have been a good reason, right? Yet could she just watch him die in front of her, when she clearly had the chance to save him?

Wavering, she inched her way closer. "You are hurt," the words slipped from her mouth unbidden. My god she was retarded. 'As if a severely injured demon was in the proper state to hold a conversation with you, a miko no less?' She snorted at the absurdity of her own action.

The clear feminine voice rang through the night. 'When did someone come?' Sesshomaru's eyes shot up and locked onto the petite woman holding a bow and arrow. 'Miko.' His eyes bled red and instincts took over.

Roaring, the demon launched at Kagome before she could raise her bow. Thankfully, her miko powers were not so slow, and had involuntarily reacted to the threatening youki streaking toward her.

The demon crashed into the reiki barrier and was thrown back 20 feet. He was either dead or unconscious. It was only times like this when Kagome was truly thankful for her miko abilities.

Kagome warily approached the still form of the demon. When she was practically on top of him, she saw the shallow rise and fall of his chest. He was still alive – barely.

In the dying light of dusk, Kagome finally got a good look at the demon. He was tall, well built, and stunning even in this half-dead state. He looked like a fallen angel. Kagome would have grinned at the irony if not for the urgency of the situation. If she was going to save him, she'd have to do it now. There was no more time for indecision.

A breeze swept through the trees, lifting the shadows briefly from Sesshomaru's face. What is that? With the blood and shadows, Kagome had thought there were bruises on his face. But on closer inspection, they were too symmetrical.

Kagome knelt down and wiped away some blood. Markings. Only demon royalty had them. And that crescent moon on his forehead. It was faint, but unmistakable. This was THE demon lord of the Western Lands! Kagome stared aghast. She quickly reassessed the situation. This was the most powerful demon of all the lands. It was her first time seeing the infamous demon, but if the stories were anything to go by… 'What in the world happened for him to be here, in this state? Wasn't he supposed to be off fighting the Dragon lord of the North?'

She remembered the bear demons all talking about it nonstop when she had gone to their village to trade earlier in the day. She was a frequent visitor to the bear demon tribe, and well tolerated. Her medicinal remedies and healing services were given in exchange for finely crafted tools and arrows. The demon villagers were used to the strange miko and had talked freely about the latest news in the demon world.

The feared and respected Lord Sesshomaru had challenged the Dragon Dictator of the North, Ryukotsusei. Today was the big battle, and if Lord Sesshomaru lost, the Western Lands would be ravaged. But no one could beat Lord Sesshomaru, right? He is the strongest. Although, Lord Ryukotsusei couldn't even be fully defeated by Lord Sesshomaru's late sire, the Great Inu no Taisho…and so the gossip went.

'Is the battle already over? Did Lord Sesshomaru lose? Why is he lying here shot full of miko arrows instead of fighting Ryukotsusei?' Kagome's mind swirled with questions. However, now was not the time to ask.

Now that she knew this injured demon was Lord Sesshomaru, she had to save him. The demon has a reputation for being cold and ruthless, and was more than powerful enough to lay waste to all the lands. But he hadn't. The western lands thrived under his rule, and no demons dared to trespass for fear of his wrath. Even Kagome's human village, which was on the outskirts of the western lands and not pledged to Sesshomaru, had indirectly benefitted from this protection.

Peace and prosperity reigned in his lands. And for that reason, Kagome wanted to save his life. The only problem was: he was a known human hater. Even so, Kagome took a small knife and cut the bloodied haori from his body. This was so going to get her killed. She determinedly ignored the voice of self-preservation shouting in her mind. Maybe she could leave before he woke up? Or maybe he might spare her in light of her good will? Or maybe she was just being insanely optimistic?

Kagome quickly opened her medicine box and set to work extricating the purification arrows from his torso. It was a bloody affair. Kagome extended the entrance hole of the arrow that had punctured his lung. Prying apart the ribs, she pulled the arrow from Sesshomaru's chest with a sickening squelch. Unfazed, she then placed her hands over the gaping wound and began containing the foreign purification energies. Once a piece of foreign purification energy was fully engulfed within her own purification bubble, she would burn it away without purifying Sesshomaru. There was so much purification energy in him, she was surprised he hadn't turn to dust on the spot. The process was extremely difficult and tedious, requiring many times the power and concentration a standard physical healing needed. Kagome repeated the process with the remaining six arrows.

By the time she was done, Kagome was drenched in cold sweat and breathing hard. The purification energies were gone, but his physical wounds were still unhealed. Her vision blurred, and she swayed before catching herself. It was completely dark save for the glow of purity around her hands. Kagome resisted the tempting lull of night. One of his lungs was still filled with blood. 'No, he will die if I don't close up these wounds,' she thought.

Shaking the fogginess from her head, she placed her trembling hands over Sesshomaru's body and began pumping in as much healing energy as she could before passing out. Fascia, muscle, and bone slowly knit together until only shallow remnants of the wounds remained.

Kagome's powers faltered.

Suddenly, Sesshomaru's blood red eyes shot open. Driven by adrenaline, and acting purely on instinct, he swiftly wrapped his claws around Kagome's slender neck and slammed her into the ground. Kagome didn't have enough energy left to resist.

Vallen immediately transformed into his larger form and snarled in demon language, "Release my alpha! Is this how you repay a life debt?"

Straddling the miko and pinning down her neck, Sesshomaru fought off the disorientation of waking completely vulnerable with a looming figure overhead. "Life debt?" he growled back as his eyes gradually turned from crimson to gold.

Vallen ignored the question and lunged at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru released his hold on Kagome's neck to avoid the winged wolf's attack, and managed to kick the beast back.

Gasping for breath, Kagome shouted "Stop!" Between coughing and sucking in air, Kagome forced out, "Please Lord Sesshomaru. We mean you no harm. Look at your wounds."

Vallen ran over to Kagome and stood in front of the weakened miko in a defensive stance.

Sesshomaru paused, having grappled control over his instincts. He remembered seeing the miko before he passed out. Quickly surveying his wounds, he realized only shallow gouges and breaks remained. He could breathe normally, with only the aftertaste of blood in his throat confirming that his lung had indeed been filled with blood. There was no purification energy found in his entire body, and his left arm was no longer broken. If his current almost nonexistent youki was anything to go by, there was no way he could have healed to this extent on his own.

"You healed me," he finally said. His flat tone lifting just slightly to reveal his surprise.

"Yes," Kagome nodded. Her arms trembled with the effort to keep herself upright.

"You are a miko," Sesshomaru stated his question. Why on earth would a _miko _heal him? And at the cost of leaving herself completely vulnerable? He hid his confusion with an unreadable expression.

"Yes," Kagome again responded. This time her lips curved in a slight smile at the carefully stoic demon. "Give me an hour or two and I'll explain everything," she whispered before collapsing into a deep sleep.

Sesshomaru stared incredulously at the unconscious miko and the winged wolf who guarded her. 'What now?' The only source of information was lying on the ground, dead to the world for the next hour or so. Without the surge of adrenaline, Sesshomaru was acutely feeling the pain and soreness of the newly healed tissue. He was weak. He had no youki to speak of. He needed to find at least some cover or defendable ground.

Sesshomaru stiffly stood and took a step toward the miko. Vallen growled in warning. "This Sesshomaru means your…" Sesshomaru paused, "alpha no harm. This glen is too open to defend." He said in demon tongue.

"Do not touch! I will carry her," Vallen replied. He then headed in the direction of decently hidden boulder formation he knew of near Kagome's house. Sesshomaru frowned at the wolf's disregard for his alpha status. 'Surely the wolf must know I am more powerful than himself, or his "alpha".' However Sesshomaru was too tired to start posturing with a mid level demon.

Settling into the makeshift shelter, Sesshomaru decided to glean some information from the winged wolf.

"Who are you two? For what purpose did the miko heal this Sesshomaru?" Vallen snorted and shifted to cover the miko better with his tail.

Sesshomaru let out a fierce growl that made Vallen jump. "This Sesshomaru is alpha. You will answer, wolf." However there was no youki to back up the gesture.

Vallen, fully aware the demon in front of him could kill him even in this state, fought down the instinct to flee. Finally, his loyalty to his miko alpha won out. After all, the demon had no youki; Vallen would surely be faster, should the demon follow through with the threat.

"She is my alpha," Vallen finally responded.

Aside from the insult to his status, this was something Sesshomaru could work with. "Why do you follow a weak human? Where is your pack?"

"Alpha not weak. Alpha is pack. She protects her pack," the wolf cryptically replied.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in irritation. He didn't have much patience for defiance, and it was clear the winged wolf was still on the defensive. If he wanted answers, he'd have to change his tactics. He refused to be miffed by a mere mid-level demon.

"Why do you follow the miko? She is of different species. Does she know demon tongue? Or demon culture?" Sesshomaru asked in a more neutral tone.

"She saved me when I was pup. No one accepted this one," Vallen said, flexing his stunted wings. "No one except miko. Alpha is different. Strong, even if she is not demon."

Sesshomaru considered this. He couldn't understand why a miko would save a demon, no matter how young. It was just not their way. Perhaps the miko was deceiving the winged wolf? He was surely too young and naïve to know the difference. Although Sesshomaru was not surprised the wolf's original pack left him to die. His deformity was a weakness, and only the strong survive. 'What is this miko's purpose?' Sesshomaru's suspicions only rose.

"Where do you live?"

"A village less than five miles east of here." Vallen had begun to calm down.

The holy village. The one filled with mikos and monks who were too insolent to pledge allegiance to him even though they were on his lands. Sesshomaru held back a growl. Just then, the miko stirred.

"Miko," Sesshomaru called in a cold monotone.

Kagome rolled over. "Five more minutes, Val," she muttered still asleep. Vallen barked sharply. Kagome's eyes finally fluttered open. Her body felt like lead, and all she wanted to do was fall back into slumber's embrace. Suddenly she remembered just why she felt so drained.

Shooting to a sitting position, Kagome almost head butted Vallen. Vallen yelped in surprise before backing up. "Sesshomaru!" She frantically searched for her patient. Locking on his figure, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh good. You're alive."

She slowly crawled closer to Sesshomaru. "Are you alright?" Before she was in reaching distance, Sesshomaru let out a chilling rumbling growl. It reverberated off the boulder walls, and Kagome immediately froze. Her heart began racing and goosebumps were washing over her in waves. "I'm sorry!" God she was going to die! Kagome quickly scrambled back into her corner.

Sesshomaru pinned the huddled form with a burning glare. Kagome cracked open an eye when she realized the death blow she was expecting had not come. Twin molten suns stared her down. She was looking death in the face, but she couldn't help awing at the ethereal beauty of those fierce golden eyes.

"Uhm. Could we talk first before you shred me to bits?" Kagome tentatively offered.

Sesshomaru was beyond confused. Her reaction was all wrong to his glare. While he could smell the fear emanating from the miko, she still insisted on "talking" to him. Was the woman insane?

"Who are you?" Sesshomaru finally spoke. Curiosity was gnawing on him.

"I'm Kagome, Kagome Higurashi. I'm a miko that lives on the edge of the holy village east of here," she meekly responded.

"What is your purpose?"

"Excuse me?" Kagome looked at the demon lord in confusion.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. He hated repeating himself. "What is your purpose for healing this Sesshomaru? Who sent you? Or is this some game you spiritual humans came up with to pass time away from your village?"

Kagome starred at Sesshomaru in disbelief, which quickly transformed into outrage. "You! You dog! Not everyone thinks like your conniving mind. And don't associate me with those bloodthirsty villagers! I was definitely daft to try and help you. Absolutely insane!" Giving Sesshomaru one last furious glare, Kagome turned sharply and began climbing out of the bouldered confine. "Come on, Val!"

Vallen smartly knew not to get in the way when the miko was angry. Even with a pitiful reiki, her wrath was something to be feared.

Sesshomaru stared in shock. He couldn't remember the last time someone spoke to him in such a disrespectful way. Gone was the fear, the nervousness. No, the miko was practically blazing with indignation and anger. She was telling the truth in her shouting tirade. But that still didn't give her the right to turn her back on him as if he were nothing.

Snarling, he grabbed Kagome's shoulder and yanked her back onto the ground. He didn't even feel the electric shock from her weak reiki flare. He was immediately on top of her, strangling her slender neck. His bared teeth were inches from her face.

Sesshomaru abruptly reared back when he realized he was demanding submission and recognition as alpha in the most primitive way to a mere human. He had never been so conflicted with his instincts. He was always in control. Yet the miko had elicited the reaction so effortlessly. Had this miko cast some spell over him? No, he felt no magic.

"Get off of me!" Kagome yelled, interrupting his thoughts.

"Know your place, human," Sesshomaru hissed, tightening his grip on her neck once again. 'So fragile.' He could snap it like a dried autumn twig. 'Yet she continues to defy me. Strange creature.' Why was the girl not cowering?

"Do you not fear this Sesshomaru?" Sesshomaru monotonously intoned. He loosened his hold just enough for her to breathe.

"Of course I'm scared," Kagome quietly admitted. She had stopped clawing at his hand.

"You fight," Sesshomaru again stated his question.

Kagome stared at the demon lord's expressionless face. "Well, I'm not just going to lay back and let you kill me." She twisted her lips in a small sardonic smile.

He narrowed his eyes. "You could have submitted."

"Huh?" was her blank response. Sesshomaru remained silent. He was not going to explain instinctual urges to a human. Or his succumbing to them.

Finally, Kagome broke the tense silence. "Look…_Lord_ Sesshomaru. Could you please get off so we can discuss this like the civil beings we are?" She appealed, hoping the honorific would help.

Sesshomaru moved back to his side of the bouldered shelter. Kagome sat up and straightened her now dirty miko garb. She waited for Sesshomaru to ask a question, but he just stared unblinking at her. Unable to stand his intense stare, she hurried out, "How about we answer each other's questions? Then we can go from there."

Sesshomaru gave no response. He wasn't going to answer any questions he didn't like. But the prospect of understanding this strange miko and bizarre situation was too enticing.

"Why did you heal this Sesshomaru?"

Relieved that he finally spoke, Kagome gave him a grateful smile. She leaned back and thought about her answer. "I didn't know what to do at first. I didn't recognize you as the Western Lord you know. Your markings were so light, and I've only heard about you. But then I saw them," she pointed to her forehead, where his crescent symbol lay.

"You are feared by all. A stout human hater," Kagome smiled sadly. "You were probably going to kill me after I saved you just for touching you or something." Sesshomaru had to admit, she had deduced correctly so far.

"But your lands, they are plentiful, and well protected. I have sensed your aura every three days or so pass by my village. It took me a while, but I finally realized you were patrolling your lands. I heard from the bear demons that you had gone off to fight Lord Ryukotsusei." Kagome stared intently at the stoic demon. "You prevented a war by doing so, didn't you?"

Her steady gaze made him shift. But he refused to reveal his inner thoughts. When Sesshomaru didn't respond, Kagome continued. "I think…you are a good lord. Probably. You keep the powers in balance, so there is peace. Without you, the Western Lands, and possibly the other cardinal lands, will be thrown into chaos. Power struggles, war, destruction…" Kagome tapered off, staring unseeing at the boulder to Sesshomaru's left.

She returned her gaze to him. "Just by being within your borders, the village has received protection from errant attacks. Only the most mindless demons, or most ignorant humans dare to intrude. I believe you are a proper lord. You did not deserve to die as you were about to. Alone in the woods, with no one to watch your passing, and at the hands of humans."

Kagome shook her head. She studied Sesshomaru from head to toe. "You look like someone who should die on a battlefield, surrounded by your men, crushing your enemies, falling only after…after your duty has been fulfilled. No?" Kagome giggled, ruining the prophetic air she spoke in just moments ago. "Then again that is just my imagination running wild after meeting royalty."

Sesshomaru couldn't help but be surprised once again by the enigma of a miko. She was not part of his world, the demon world. There was nothing for her to gain to sing his praises. It made her recognition of him as a good lord all the more meaningful. But the words of a mere human are meaningless. Her uncanny judge of character. Duty. How did she see it? How could she read him when all she's seen from him was violence? It was disturbing, and all the more intriguing.

"Alright, my turn. Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be fighting Ryukotsusei?" Kagome started.

It was a fair question. It would not be so bad to humor this human and glean more information about her. "This Sesshomaru has defeated Ryukotsusei, Lord of the North. The band of spiritual beings attacked when this Sesshomaru was preparing to hunt."

"Ah. I was wondering how a few mikos got a shot off at you. So you were already half beat after fighting Ryukotsusei. Just your luck huh." Kagome filled in.

Sesshomaru ignored the term she used to describe him. "You try to dissociate yourself from the holy village in which you were born. 'Those bloodthirsty villagers…the village…them…' Why?"

Kagome sobered. "They are from a different school of thought. I feel no good will towards them," she curtly answered.

"And what school of thought is that?" Sesshomaru pushed.

Kagome's guard went up. She wasn't going to tell this essential stranger about her parents. No way. "I believe it's my turn. Is what I said before true? Did you challenge the North to prevent a war?"

Sesshomaru didn't like her avoidance, or her personal questions. "My reasons are none of your concern," he coldly responded.

Kagome frowned. "Then neither are mine," she huffed. They glared at each other.

Sesshomaru's hand twitched, a reflexive response to his desire to kill the insolent miko. Yet, he hesitated. She was witness to his most humiliating hour. His pride demanded he permanently silence her, but his honor of a life debt stayed his hand. Sesshomaru held back a growl of irritation. He couldn't remember the last time he was so conflicted, so weak.

"You will answer my next question," Sesshomaru coldly demanded, indicating he would relent to her earlier question.

"Fine!" she said in frustration. The demon really knew how to get her riled up. Thinking back, it was probably not a wise agreement.

"Inu no Taisho had once sealed Ryukotsusei. When he broke free, it was this Sesshomaru's duty to finish the task and uphold the family honor. War from this would be unacceptable."

Kagome blinked away her glare. Slowly, she smiled. It's like he doesn't want to admit he was doing something nice by fighting a dragon all alone. She was also pleasantly surprised by the level of integrity the demon had. However, his next question promptly wiped the smile off her face.

"You accepted the winged wolf. You are receptive to demons. Mikos are trained to kill demons on sight. What makes you different? And for what purpose?"

Kagome forced the sudden well of tears down. They rimmed her eyes, but she refused to have them fall in front of this demon. He already had such a terrible opinion of humans, especially mikos. No need to make herself appear even weaker. But why did he have to ask it that way? Why did he have to make her remember Shippo. 'Oh gods, Shippo.' Her eyes watered further.

Kagome was 11, and she had just lost her parents months before. She had been crying in the woods when she met Shippo. He was also an orphan. A fox demon pup the equivalent of 9 human years. His parents were killed by some thunder demons terrorizing his village in the eastern lands. He had approached her when he heard her calling for her mommy. He was an adorable orange fluff ball with big green eyes. They had hit it off right away. He was playful, mischievous, and so nice to Kagome. He made her forget the pain, if only for a little while. He was Kagome's first real friend. The village children had always been herded away from her because of her parents' beliefs.

But one day, close to a year after they met, the village chief's daughter, Kikyou, saw them playing together. Kikyou was three years older than Kagome, and the village's pride. At 14, she was the strongest miko in the village, and a beauty. Gorgeous, well mannered, educated, and talented with the bow. Kagome, from afar, looked up to her to some extent.

However, Kikyou truly believed her teachings, that all demons were evil. She had taken pity on Kagome when she was orphaned. To some degree, Kikyou liked the carefree girl and thought Kagome shouldn't be punished for her parent's lunacy. In fact, she was the one that convinced her father not to confiscate Kagome's house.

But now, seeing Kagome running around with a wild fox demon, Kikyou had second thoughts. She secretly called upon two other strong village miko girls, and together they captured Shippo. The two village girls held Kagome down. She was 11, and just starting to manifest her miko abilities. Shippo's fox magic was mere childs play. They didn't stand a chance.

"Kagome, why do you play with this demon? He is evil." Kikyou sadly asked, already knowing her breathren's deluded response.

"Shippo isn't evil! He's my friend!" Kagome screamed. She was kicking and struggling to get out of the other two girls' grasp. "Don't hurt him! Let him go!"

"Oh Kagome…you have been infected by this demon. Don't let this filth deceive you. Or is it your parents' lunacy? Have they succeeded in brainwashing you?" Kikyou pitied.

"No, no no…please Kikyou chan, Kikyou sama. Just let him go. He won't come here anymore. I won't see him anymore. Just let him go." Kagome was sobbing now.

"No Kagome!" Shippo shouted, still dangling from Kikyou's hand. "You're my best friend. I want to be with you!" Shippo proclaimed, wriggling even more.

"He's tricking you Kagome. You've learned that fox demons are known for their magic and trickery. Their illusions are the best. You must see that I am doing this for your own good," Kikyou said, raising a purification arrow.

"NOoo! I'll do anything! Don't – " Kikyou plunged the arrow straight through Shippo. The sickening thud, the splatter of blood right before Shippo disappeared in a pool of purified dust.

Kagome screamed, and screamed. She couldn't tell when Shippo's scream ended and hers began. All she could feel was the pain all over again, and the heat. It was her miko powers – too late and not enough. They burst from her body, blowing the two girls holding her back into trees. They landed unconscious from the force of impact. Still, Kagome sat there and screamed.

She felt wetness on her bottom and looked down. Blood was slowly soaking through her thin hakamas. Shippo's blood? No, he was purified. Then she realized. How perfect. She had gotten her first menses. How fitting of her body to bleed for her heart. Too bad it didn't come earlier when a boost in her miko powers may have saved Shippo. And then she passed out. The next time she awoke, she was inside Kaede's hut. Shippo was gone forever, and it was all her fault.

"Miko" the cool baritone brought her back to the present. When had the tears started to stream down her face? Damn and she had promised not to cry. Her parents, Shippo. They were the past. They were gone, but she carried their lessons with her.

"If there are bad humans, why can't there be good demons? Do they not feel? We are all living and breathing creatures. You feel pain just like me." Her eyes were tortured. Pain from loss.

Different. This miko was different. Sesshomaru had more questions than answers. The last answer brought out more philosophical points than Sesshomaru cared to ponder at the moment.

Sensing that their conversation was over, Kagome stood. The tears had dried by now. In her usual cheerful tone, Kagome said, "On the bright side, you are alive and recovering. Let's go back to my home. It's much warmer and safer than here." The December chill was getting to her.

Sesshomaru studied the miko, but made no move to follow. Kagome paused, halfway to grabbing a boulder. "Work with me here," Kagome scowled at the stubborn demon. "If I meant any ill will, you wouldn't be here right now. I'm telling you my home is safe, so trust me." Kagome planted her feet apart and placed her hands on her hips. She would win this battle of wills if it was the last thing she did.

"This Sesshomaru does not need your help," Sesshomaru sneered. The gall of this human.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. He was dying in front of her just hours ago. Damn prideful demon. "Lord Sesshomaru, you speak of duty and honor. Well, then in your language, YOU are MY patient. And as such, it is my DUTY to see to your wellbeing. It would be DISHONORABLE for me to leave you here. So would you quit resisting me at every turn and let me do my job as a healer?"

Sesshomaru knew what she was doing. But he had to give credit to the miko for standing up to him and appealing to him so. Not many could disrespect and mock him and live to tell the tale. He cut down many before for less. But this human piqued his curiosity just enough to stay alive. He vaguely wondered what a human would know of duty and honor. This time it was Sesshomaru's turn to raise an eyebrow at her antics. Then, he smoothly stood and leaped out of the crevice. His knees buckled when he landed, but he stayed upright. Sesshomaru almost growled at his own weakness and vulnerability.

Kagome huffed from the bottom of the bouldered confine. "Arrogant jerk." Seeing that the storm was over, Vallen approached Kagome. Deciding she was too tired to start scaling boulders, she accepted Vallen's ride and climbed on. Kagome silently rode on Vallen's back to their house.

With the fight leaving her, Kagome was suddenly ready to collapse. Sesshomaru was impressed the zombie in front of him even knew how to disengage the barrier around her house briefly for him to enter. Kagome sleepily laid out a clean blanket over her futon, mumbled for Sesshomaru to sleep there, and promptly fell asleep against Vallen's reclined form against the wall.

Sesshomaru looked at her house. It was small. The door opened to a living space with a small kitchen attached. To the right was the bedroom the miko was in, and to the left was a room filled with medicinal herbs and other tools of her trade. However the redeeming quality of the small abode was the hot spring and river that ran right next to her house. The miko was also quite clever for constructing an offshoot from the river to serve as an irrigation system to flush any bodily wastes from the owl house to an underground sewage. No wonder she and her immediate surroundings smelled surprisingly nice.

Sesshomaru sat down on the futon. 'How can the girl possibly sleep with a strange demon in her house?' Injured he may be, but he could still kill both the wolf and herself if he desired. The only reason he did not was because she was still of use to him.

Sesshomaru settled into the futon. He would have to sleep as well in order to recover his youki. The surroundings were not as secure as he would have liked, but the barrier was strong. It would keep out youkai and mikos alike at least for long enough to escape or prepare for battle. It was ironic that ordinary humans would be able to pass through unhindered.

That was the last thought before the soft lavender and sweet vanilla scent of the miko lulled him into a light sleep. The miko did smell rather acceptable.


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome woke to the shifting of her futon. 'Wait. Moving futon?' She opened her eyes to find Vallen inching his way from underneath her. She quickly recalled offering her own bed up to Sesshomaru before passing out on Vallen. She didn't even bathe. "Oh I'm sorry Val, you probably had to go pee hours ago." Vallen licked her hand in acceptance of the apology and darted outside. The bedroom was empty. Where was Lord Sesshomaru?

After quickly washing up, Kagome went to look for him. She didn't have to go far. He was standing next to the hot spring still inside the barrier. The only problem was, he was garbed in nothing but a fundoshi.

Kagome eeped and turned her back to him. "Jeez, put on some clothes," or wait, she had cut them all off of him the night before. "Or…use…take a blanket at least!" she called in embarrassment.

Sesshomaru walked toward the strange miko. Humans were so strange. Their discomfort with nudity was not shared in the demon culture. In fact, he was one of the most conservative in regards to clothing. But his current state was unavoidable seeing as she had divested him of all his clothes last night. "There is nothing you have not already seen," he spoke in a bored monotone.

Kagome's flush traveled down her chest. "That was different! Who would be paying attention when they have wounds to heal?" Sensing his approach, Kagome rushed inside to grab a blanket. She threw the thing haphazardly to Sesshomaru. He smoothly caught the thin fabric and wrapped it toga style around himself. He had just taken a bath, but his mokomoko was still covered in dried blood and grime.

Kagome, having finally returned to a normal skin color, walked over to the spring. "Oh! Your…tail…or something. I forgot about it. Here, let me clean it." Sesshomaru stifled a growl. His mokomoko was not a tail! It was his pelt, and a vessel for excess youki. Only the strongest demons could produce such in humanoid form.

"Do not touch what is mine," Sesshomaru rumbled out in his deep voice.

Kagome ignored the warning and picked up the filthy mokomoko. "Would you stop growling at me? I'm just going to clean your matted ropey tail thing."

Before Sesshomaru could react to the disgraceful name, Kagome purified the blood and dirt from the mokomoko.

The mokomoko returned to pure white luxurious fluff. "Mmm so soft! I'm sorry for calling you a matted ropey thing," Kagome delighted. She hugged the mokomoko and ran her fingers through the downy fur. "You're definitely a Fluffy," she dubbed the mokomoko.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was fighting off the sensations. The mokomoko was a part of Sesshomaru, and he could feel it, even if he didn't presently have the youki to move the mokomoko. Her little purification cleaning sent waves of hot tingles up and down his spine. Sesshomaru would die under torture before admitting it, but it felt incredibly good, and utterly arousing. He clenched his teeth until the tingles of power died down.

Moving faster than human eyes could track, Sesshomaru swooped down and snatched the mokomoko from Kagome's hands. "Desist!" His muscles protested violently under the sudden strain, and for the nth time since meeting the miko, he wanted to snarl and thrash about in a manner unbefitting of his station.

Kagome pouted at her loss, but remained silent. Afterall, it was HIS Fluffy. She wouldn't want to give it up either. Sighing, she surveyed the noble demon with his enviable fluffy and completely out of place toga blanket. She'd have to procure a new haori and hakama for him, that's for sure. In fact, she needed to procure him some food. He must be starving after missing his hunt and using up so much youki.

"Please rest inside the barrier, Lord Sesshomaru. I promise not to reveal your location." Kagome hoped addressing him with honorifics would lead him to comply.

"This Sesshomaru does not require your protection. The promise of a mere human means nothing." He was strong enough to make it to his personal shelter about ten miles from here…probably.

Kagome's angry flashing eyes bore into the incorrigible demon. However, the anger left as fast as it came. Judging by the light markings on his face, he shouldn't even be awake.

Kagome let out her anger in a big sigh. She knew from the beginning that he was a human hater. "Sorry if I offended you in anyway. It was not my intention. But you are still my patient, and I respectfully ask you to comply with a healer's good will. I understand if you are wary of me. All I ask is for you to give me a chance to prove my trustworthiness. I will bring breakfast shortly. You may do as you please."

Sesshomaru remained silent. Kagome grabbed her bow and entered the forest.

Thirty minutes later, she came back with a gutted young stag. Even with the entrails removed, the stag was still hard for Kagome to drag back. As soon as she cleared the forest, Vallen left his guard of the house to help her. His youki was pre-set to pass freely through the barrier.

Kagome scanned around as she caught her breath, and was pleased to see the demon lord sitting by the spring inside her barrier. Her brow creased slightly as she wondered how the demon could withstand such cold weather in practically nothing. Even with her bear skin cloak, she was still shivering. But making Sesshomaru comply with anything she said was like pulling teeth. And so she made no comment.

Instead, Kagome expertly skinned the stag and quartered the meat into manageable chucks. Once the meat was cleaned, she sliced and cubed several platters of raw meat, spare ribs, liver, and heart. She then whisked up a bowl of spices and soy sauce. The spine was placed in a large pot to simmer over the fire. The legs were given to Vallen. He swallowed a piece hungrily, but then looked up and whined. Kagome hadn't given him the liver, his favorite part of an animal. "Not this time, Val. You know it's guests first," Kagome murmured to him, while patting his head.

"Breakfast is served," she announced to Lord Sesshomaru. "You are my patient, and guest of this house. Please enjoy the meal. There are extra portions on the rack outside, and tea in the kettle. I must attend to some matters, and will be back by nightfall. Call Val for anything, or if you wish to contact me." Kagome gave a polite bow and returned to the forest.

She was a miko, and really had no money to speak of. Most food was hunted, or grown herself. Other items, she had to trade her medicines, or furs from her hunt to get. If she wanted to replace the demon lord's outfit, she'd have to hunt. Deerskin was worth very little, but the antlers from the stag would be valuable.

Kagome trekked deeper into the woods. She had to find some rabbits, foxes, or wolves. Those were the furs that sold. After an hour, she only managed to get a rabbit. "God, can't a girl get a break," Kagome huffed in frustration. As if the heavens heard her, Kagome suddenly caught the howls of wolves. They were on a hunt as well. She ran toward the howls.

Luck was definitely on her side. Six large wolves, and they had brought down a beautiful male Chital spotted deer. The Chital was one of the few types of deer with skins beautiful enough to trade. Kagome stalked closer to the feeding pack. Shooting two arrows at a time, she killed the pack before they could run.

Now what, she thought. Usually she never hunted so much at one time. And Vallen was always there to help her carry the load. But he was currently protecting the house and watching Sesshomaru.

Sighing, Kagome resigned herself to making multiple trips. She deftly skinned the animals first to be brought back.

Sesshomaru started eating the food after Kagome had left. He was surprised the miko knew how to prepare food for demons. The dipping sauce was particularly pleasing to the palate. He devoured the meal and polished off the extra meat on the racks as well. Normally a small stag would have been sufficient, but he required more to regenerate his youki.

Sesshomaru stared out into the woods. He wanted to hunt. He wanted to leave this wretched barrier, and this miko infested village. But he did not survive over 500 years by blindly following his wants. As humiliating as it was to admit, Sesshomaru was too weak in his current state to fight off any mildly skillful humanoid demon. He could scent bear demons not too far off. And the mikos and monks in the village would be able to see him as soon as he stepped out of the barrier. Although, he would be able to outrun the humans, even now.

However, a fool could see that his current location hidden inside a barrier was the safest, given the alternatives. He had many enemies that would cut off their own arms to find him in this state. Afterall, anyone who killed him ruled the Western Lands. If the miko betrayed him, he was dead, and the West would be overrun. Sesshomaru just couldn't stomach the thought that his wellbeing rested in the hands of a crazy miko, a human. The Western Lands were his responsibility to bear, and his prideful mistake last night could cost him everything. His reliance on this strange miko could cost him everything.

Sesshomaru wanted to howl out of frustration. To be so weak as to rely on a human, a miko. He would surely have to kill all in witness of his disgrace. He needed to leave. Yet what could he do when it pained him to merely stand? He continued to gaze, unmoving out to the west.

Finally, Sesshomaru resigned himself to another long day, and went back inside. Surely by tomorrow, his youki would have recovered enough for him to return to his citadel.

Sesshomaru was resting against the wall when he scented and heard the miko's return. His youki was still too small to sense her aura yet. He intently watched the miko work. She was obviously too weak to transport the spoils of her hunt, bringing the furs and meats in pieces. Pathetic.

Vallen had started pacing around the front door. He could have brought all of that back in one trip. But his alpha had given strict orders to protect the demon in their house. Vallen snorted. As if that monster needed his protection. Injured or not, that demon was a true predator.

Sesshomaru silently observed the restless wolf, and the struggling miko. 'She ordered her beta to say here for my benefit. How ridiculous.' It was already her sixth trip. How weak, to only be able to carry one wolf carcass at a time. The miko was breathing hard, and rattling like a leaf. The bearskin cloak apparently wasn't enough warmth for the human.

The miko was now settled outside her house, butchering and packaging the prime meats. The deer laid untouched. Vallen hungrily yipped, and barked for the deer.

"Oh shush you big baby. The deer is all yours…and Lord Sesshomaru's," Kagome replied.

Curious. It was as if the miko could understand demon tongue, Sesshomaru analyzed. She was about to prepare the deer when Sesshomaru appeared in the doorway.

"Do not touch the deer. This Sesshomaru will cut his own meats," he stonily remarked.

Kagome's eyes flashed with anger. The ungrateful demon. She was trying her best here. So what if her hands were covered in blood? There wasn't a point in washing them when they'd get covered in deer guts anyway. That infuriating, condescending tone. It made her feel so damn inferior.

"Well excuse me if my filthy human hands disgust you! You weren't complaining at breakfast!" she lashed out. Kagome tried to stand tall and glare at the demon, but a strong gale made her shiver uncontrollably. The effect was totally ruined. She whirled around and began stalking back to the half packaged meats.

"Do you always draw incorrect conclusions so fast, Miko? This Sesshomaru cares not how you interpret his words," Sesshomaru remarked in his usual bored monotone, and carried the deer inside. He had not intended his offer of help to insult the miko. In fact, he couldn't really understand why he did in the first place. He was used to people waiting on him. Yet watching the miko push her weak human body all day, he almost felt an inkling of respect for her perseverance. That is until she ruined it with her crude accusations.

Kagome turned around to ask about his comment, but he had already disappeared inside. Kagome crinkled her brow in confusion. Had she really misunderstood his comment? Regardless of his reasons, Sesshomaru saved her a good amount of time and work by taking the deer whole. Now she really felt stupid. He was just so hard to read. Usually, Kagome could get a good feel of the person after only a brief meeting. Her perceptiveness had helped her on many occasions. It has never led her astray.

In fact, her initial intuition about Sesshomaru was that he was a good lord. It's just hard to remember when he's always growling and insulting her. "Dammit girl, don't give in already. You don't even know if he meant to help you," she tried to convince herself. He couldn't possibly have wanted to help her, no? Besides, she had resolved to help the demon lord, and a little stubbornness, rudeness, antagonism…wasn't going to stop her, right?

Kagome unknowingly began working with just a little more enthusiasm. Once she loaded the goods and neatly packaged meat onto an old wagon, she departed for Kaede's home.

"Goodness, child! Why ye be travelling in this storm?" Kaede exclaimed upon seeing a half-frozen Kagome on her doorstep.

"Hi Kaede. I'll let you know once everything is over. I need to borrow your horse. I have a wagon full of stuff to trade."

Kaede stared at Kagome for a long while. She always did keep her problems to herself. Even as a child, Kagome would cry only when she thought no one was there. She was a good child, but trouble never fails to find her. This was definitely one of those times. Kaede sighed. "Take the beast. He is in the stable."

"Thanks, Kaede." Kagome hugged the old woman. "I promise everything is fine," she whispered. Kaede simply nodded.

Kagome brought the horse back to her house and attached it to the laden wagon. They slowly made their way across the snowy path into the village. The streets were deserted. Kagome headed straight for the kimono shop. She entered the small shop, bringing a gust of winter with her.

The scrawny shop keeper and his wife were tense. No normal customers came during a blizzard. They narrowed their eyes and tightened their lips as soon as they recognized it was the queer, demon-loving miko. "What do you want, wench?" the man said.

Kagome glared at the shop keeper. "Is that how you treat your customers? And I thought you were in need of business at this time of year. You aren't the only seamstress in town you know," Kagome flippantly said. However, this was the only one greedy enough to do business with an outcast miko like her. But the shop keeper didn't have to know that.

The shop keeper shifted a little at the prospect of bringing in some money. His family won't survive the winter if he didn't sell a few more kimonos. "What can I help you with, miko?"

Kagome smiled. That's more like it. "I require a full male outfit – inner and outer haori, hakama, and obi. They must be of the finest quality. Let me see your finest silks," she announced.

The shop keeper's wife gave a scathing scan of the worn miko outfit, and cheap bearskin cloak. The only thing of any quality on her was the well-crafted bow and arrow. "And you can afford such finery?" the wife asked in condescending disbelief.

"You know, if you don't start moving, I can always bring my top grade wolf pelts elsewhere." That finally got them simpering and catering to Kagome's every whim. It's always about money, Kagome thought in disgust. They brought out rolls of beautiful, densely woven silks.

The one on the far end immediately caught her eye. The snow white silk was stained with large bunches of solid red flowers widely spaced apart. The red blooms reminded her of fresh blood. It matched Sesshomaru perfectly. Perfectly pristine, and beautifully deadly. "I want this fabric. Make the outfit according to these measurements," Kagome said, throwing down a parchment of numbers. While hunting, she had retraced her steps from last night and found the remains of Sesshomaru's clothes.

"Why, you have a good eye. This is our most expensive silk. This will cost at least 10 gold coins."

"10 gold coins can buy 5 such kimonos. Besides, I will be trading wolf pelts for this." Kagome retrieved her 5 wolf pelts. "These are the finest quality fur, thick and rich from winter, and all five are an even grey-white. You could make this into a fine cloak that would sell for 10 times the amount this kimono is worth."

"You forget that we make the kimonos, and that is why it would sell so much. Otherwise, these are merely pelts," the shop keeper insisted.

"Not many hunters can find wolves during the heart of winter. Besides, these wolves are from the same pack, so their coloring is more similar. Judging by the size of these pelts, the wolves were well nourished, so their furs are even fuller and shinier than usual."

"Hmm…then, the inner kimono cannot be of the same quality."

"This is a gift. I will not settle for anything less than the best. The inner kimono will be made from the pure white silk over there," Kagome pointed to an equally nice roll of silk. She then scanned the fabrics. Silver trim and a violet-blue, the same hue as Sesshomaru's crescent moon. "And I want that silver and blue fabric for the obi."

"Surely you joke," the shop keeper scoffed. "I won't give my best quality silks for a mere 5 pelts."

"I'll add a set of stag antlers and two white rabbit pelts. The rabbits would make beautiful trimming on winter kimonos. The antlers are valuable to any healer, blacksmith, or potter," Kagome continued. She retrieved said items, laying them with the wolf pelts. "This is worth much more than one outfit. Besides, you won't get much work this time of year," she insisted.

The shop keeper scowled. "Fine. Come back in three days, it will be ready."

"That's the other thing. I want the kimonos to be finished as soon as possible. Latest by early tomorrow afternoon," Kagome added.

"Impossible! You are crazy if you think we will work through the night for a wench like you," the wife burst out.

"For the last time, you call me Miss, Miko, or Kagome. Ka-Go-Me!" Kagome glared at the couple.

"I will give you enough meat to last you half of winter if you get the kimono to me by noon tomorrow. And in perfect condition. Do not skirt on quality."

"Humph. Animals are hard to hunt this time of year. You can't possibly have that much meat. You are nothing but a wayward, inexperienced miko," the shop keeper spat.

This time Kagome unleashed her aura. Even though normal humans couldn't see her aura, they could feel the heat, and oppressive energy. "Do not insult me. What I lack in experience, I make up for several fold in raw power. Do you not feel it? My aura," she intimidated.

The couple trembled, unable to stop the goose bumps from racing across their skin. "Y-yes, Miko-sama," they stuttered out.

Kagome withdrew her aura. "Look, I just want a good quality outfit as soon as possible. I have the meat in my cart. It's at least fifty pounds of premium cut meats, all fresh. I just require your best materials and workmanship. Do we have an agreement?"

The couple stared wide-eyed at the meat, and simply nodded. "Good. Please deliver the kimono as soon as possible." There was no need to tell them where her house was. She was infamous after all.

It was dark when Kagome returned to her house. She had been eating nothing but dried fruits and jerky all day. She slumped on a chair by the fire.

Sesshomaru was accosted by the stench of unwashed human. The miko had obviously gone into the village. She reeked of it. Her usual pleasant scent was completely covered by the odor of filthy humans and domesticated animals. His nose twitched. "Wash yourself, Miko," he demanded.

Kagome looked up tiredly. Ah yes, how could she forget the insufferable lord? "Yes, yes, oh mighty lord. Excuse my sweat for offending your precious nose." She shouldn't have snapped at him, but her mood was sour after dealing with the villagers.

"It is not your perspiration, but the stench of filthy humans and manure that clings to you," Sesshomaru sniffed. Thank the gods the miko's abode inside the barrier did not smell so repulsive.

Kagome looked at the formidable demon lord, flaring his nostrils and wriggling his nose at the smell of the annoying shop keeper couple. "Hahaha…hahahhaha" Kagome's chuckle became a boisterous laugh. "Hahah, that's great…haha…you find them as offensive as I do…hahaha and you didn't even talk to them," Kagome wheezed.

Sesshomaru watched the miko gasp for breath, vaguely wondering what the humans had done. The miko was entertaining, if nothing else, he bemused.

Kagome gave Sesshomaru a big, warm smile. Her deep blue eyes still danced with mirth, as she wordlessly opened up to him.

Sesshomaru was at a lost for how to respond to the genuine joy and appreciation she directed at him. Him - the cold and ruthless Lord Sesshomaru, feared by all. 'Strange creature,' he thought.

Finally getting a hold of herself, Kagome purified the air and her clothes. "There, is that better? I'll go bathe now. The tea is on the fire. You should get some rest." Expecting a response along the lines of "I listen to no one", she darted out to the hot spring.

"Hm." Sesshomaru turned his back to the window and closed his eyes. The air was slowly filling with the miko's calming scent. A good night's rest and he'd be ready to depart.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Sesshomaru woke to the miko's return from her morning hunt. When had she left? He never slept so deeply when out of his citadel. Nor had he dreamed. What had the miko done? Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the miko as she came in with a boar.

"Good morning Lord Sesshomaru. Are you hungry? Will a boar be enough?" Kagome chattered away. She paused after taking in the suspicious look Sesshomaru was casting her. "What? What did I do this time?"

Finding nothing out of place, and no foreign scents, Sesshomaru looked away. "Hm." It was most likely the miko's scent that relaxed him so. As disturbing as that sounded, it was more plausible than the naïve miko concocting some complicated, roundabout way to corner him. Inconceivably, his instincts were telling him the miko was trustworthy.

After eating, Sesshomaru got up and started heading to the door. He opened the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Kagome asked. The kimono she worked so hard to get wasn't ready yet.

Sesshomaru glanced over his shoulder. "Your hospitality has been duly noted. This Sesshomaru takes his leave." It was as close to a thank you as he was going to give.

"Wait!" Kagome grabbed the end of his mokomoko. He immediately flicked the mokomoko from her grasp. His youki was sufficiently recovered. Not enough to fight another Ryuukotsusei, but enough to defend himself during his travel to the citadel.

"Whoa, did that just move?" Kagome marveled at the mokomoko. "No, that's not the point. Please wait, Lord Sesshomaru. You aren't recovered yet."

Sesshomaru spun around and lifted Kagome by the throat. "Why do you keep my person?" he rumbled out threateningly. Interestingly, her miko powers didn't come to her defense this time.

"I-It's not like that," Kagome choked out. "Need to breathe."

Sesshomaru set her on the ground, but kept a firm grip on her neck. "I want to give you something that will be helpful. I promise it is for your wellbeing. Look, I even manipulated my reiki to recognize your youki and not attack you. Isn't it about time you trusted me?"

"You presume too much, Miko," he coldly responded, but he released her neck.

"Please stay for lunch. Then, you can choose to accept my gift or not. I want you to return to your world safely as well." And in more than my blanket, Kagome added mentally.

"If you deceive this Sesshomaru, you and your wolf will die a painful death." He flared his youki, just to emphasize the point. It sent chills down Kagome's spine, even if it was just 1/6th of his usual youki.

"Understood," Kagome solemnly answered.

Time seemed to crawl until the shop keeper arrived just before noon. Kagome was almost happy to see the man. Sesshomaru had kept an unrelenting eye on her the entire time. To make it worse, he had been silent, not even uttering a "Hm". It was the most awkward 5 hours of her life.

Sesshomaru had scented the shop keeper well before he came into sight. He stood battle ready, cracking his knuckles as he flexed his claws.

Kagome immediately noticed the strange behavior because it was the first time that morning he wasn't staring at her. "Oh, it's okay. He's just delivering my gift. You should wait inside the house. I'm going to make my barrier translucent so he can see where my house is," Kagome said, quickly deducing what had Sesshomaru so tense.

Sesshomaru never took his eyes off of the horizon where a small figure was heading toward them. "This Sesshomaru will dispatch any who nears," he icily responded.

Kagome tensed at his promise of death. Sure, the shop keeper was annoying, but he was harmless. She had asked him to deliver the outfit. She couldn't let him die for this.

Kagome hurried toward the shop keeper before he could get too close. Grabbing the outfit from his hand, Kagome quickly inspected the work. Good enough. "Thank you," she rushed out, making a quick bow. "You can go now," she ushered the man back into the direction of the village. But not before he saw a flash of gold eyes in the shadow. 'Demon.' The shop keeper wasted no time getting away.

Kagome let out a sigh of relief. Disaster avoided. Remembering Sesshomaru's reaction last night, she quickly purified the outfit, leaving it void of scent and grime.

"It will be ready within the hour," Kagome announced to Sesshomaru, and went inside her house.

Sesshomaru had been tempted to leave numerous times this morning, but his insatiable curiosity would not let him. Sesshomaru prided himself in his vast knowledge accumulated over the centuries. His memory was impeccable, and his mind was sharp and analytical. There were few mysteries in the world he didn't know the answer to, or couldn't solve. The miko had done what few previous have succeeded to do. She had piqued his interest. A human, normally below his notice, had intrigued him.

How ironic for a demon to be saved by a miko after almost being killed by her brethren mere moments ago. The miko was even aware that he may kill her afterward. Yet she left herself completely vulnerable for the sake of a demon lord she had only heard about. It defied all logic and self-preservation that Sesshomaru knew. The only reasonable conclusion he could draw was that the miko was insane. Yet she was not, at least not overtly. What was her purpose? Did she truly act with absolutely no personal gain? Because she thought he was a proper lord? Ridiculous.

"Uhm. Here is a gift for you," Kagome interrupted Sesshomaru's inner musings. "I had destroyed your kimono when I healed you, so I wanted to make up for it. I mean, not like you could use it after all those arrow holes and bloodstains…" Kagome took a deep breath to stop her ramblings.

'Let's try that again,' Kagome thought to herself. "Ahem. I had an outfit made for you. It may not be anything special to you, but this was the best silks the village had to offer. Besides, it has to be better than my blanket," Kagome said, giving Sesshomaru a quick, scan.

"I also placed a protection charm on the outfit. Your youki has not completely regenerated. This should help with…it should help," Kagome awkwardly ended. She could just imagine the ungrateful demon shredding the outfit if she hinted at any deficits or weaknesses the demon lord might presently have.

She held out the neatly folded outfit. After a long time, Kagome looked up. "It's not cursed you know," she dryly stated. Kagome stared challengingly into Sesshomaru's eyes, as if suggesting he was scared of her gift. A taunting grin slowly spread across her features.

Sesshomaru smoothly took the gift, but continued to stare the miko down. How dare she challenge him?

Kagome quickly realized a staring match with Lord Sesshomaru was not a good idea. The vibrant golden hue completely distracted her from the challenge. His eyes were so beautiful and intense, nothing like the frozen shields they had mimicked only moments ago.

A few minutes later, Kagome blinked and looked away. At least he accepted the gift.

Satisfied that the miko had backed down, Sesshomaru left to change. Pure energy was evenly embedded into the fabrics, but there was no hint of darkness that would have marked a curse. Unlike the standard miko power, this energy was cool and pleasing to the touch. The outfit, itself was rather befitting as well, despite the lack of hexagonal insignias. The silk wasn't nearly as strong as demon silk, but it was smooth and comfortable. He could smell the purity, and faint lavender, vanilla cream of the miko. Acceptable. The miko had impressed him once again.

Kagome's eyes widened when she saw the noble demon lord walk out in full attire, with mokomoko draped on his shoulder. "Wow," Kagome breathed.

This was what he was supposed to look like: an otherworldly being untouched by the earthly realities. A pure-blooded royal that immediately demands respect as he gracefully glides through the lands. This was a _true _demon.

It was humbling to see how very different he was from herself, from humans. Yet…were they so different that they couldn't understand each other? Kagome would probably never find out. He was leaving.

"Have a safe trip, Lord Sesshomaru," she formally addressed, remaining bowed.

It wasn't like the miko to be so polite. In fact, it irritated Sesshomaru to see the fiery miko so subdued. 'Why was she raising her guards now, of all times?' His hand moved before he could stop it. Sesshomaru sharply lifted the miko's chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. Her deep blue eyes swirled with the same ambivalence and turmoil he was hiding within his own.

Sesshomaru inclined his head ever so slightly in acknowledgement before fluidly walking into the forest. The shadows quickly engulfed him, and he was gone.

Kagome continued to stare after him. Vallen rubbed against her leg, breaking the trance. Kagome gave one last lingering gaze before turning around and going back inside.

Sesshomaru raced through the forest toward the Western Citadel. It had been two days since he defeated Ryukotsusei. Not only were the Northern lands in chaos, but the other cardinal lands must be in unrest with his sudden disappearance. All the lords would have sent scouts to investigate the outcome of the battle, and of course, his own state. Sesshomaru wouldn't be surprised if one of them took advantage of his temporary weakening.

Nearly halfway to his citadel, Sesshomaru sensed his general, Jura.

"My lord! It is good to see your safe return," the tiger demon greeted, bowing respectfully.

"What has happened in my absence?" Sesshomaru stoically responded.

"Our scouts, as well as those from the other cardinal lands found the Northern mountain range flattened after your battle with Lord Ryukotsusei about a day afterward. His remains were still there, as well as your shattered armor and tokijin, but you had disappeared. We tracked your scent to a battleground of spiritual beings just inside the Western border. However the trail abruptly ended at a glen not far from the spot. All that was left was your tattered kimono."

'Interesting,' Sesshomaru thought. The miko must have erased all traces of their presence yesterday. Quite clever.

"We feared the worst. The other scouts had surely seen the same, for the lords of the east and south have requested an audience with you. Their announcement came just this morn. They are due to arrive tomorrow. Several search parties have been renewing their efforts ever since."

"Hm. Has a new lord claimed the North?"

"No, my lord. The spies are still planted in the North. There are many power struggles, but no victor has appeared yet."

"Inform the search parties. This Sesshomaru returns to the Western Citadel." His expressionless face and monotone belied the anger he felt toward the other lords. 'Vultures,' he mentally sneered.

The Western Citadel breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw their lord return.

"It's about fucking time you returned from your little killing spree," Inuyasha gruffly exclaimed. He was actually quite worried about his brother, even if he didn't believe for a moment that the icy bastard could die. "If I have to look at one more scroll, I swear I'll break your study." As blood kin of Inu no Taisho, and beta to Sesshomaru, Inuyasha was placed in temporary command of the West, despite his hanyou status.

Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow at his half-brother. "This Sesshomaru is surprised the citadel is still standing with an idiot like you running it," he dryly stated.

Already frustrated by the vicious politics at play this morning, Inuyasha retorted, "At least I wasn't beaten so badly I had to hide in a cave to nurse my wounds. Did the dragon scratch up your girly face?"

Inuyasha had barely enough time to pull out his Tetseiga and block Sesshomaru's claws. Incensed about the lords and Inuyasha's uncouth words, Sesshomaru decided some sparing was in order. Even with a sixth of his normal youki, he could put his rude sibling in place. "Do not speak of things you do not know. Your stupidity will just become more apparent."

The guards and servants were used to the sibling rivalry. It never fails to end with Inuyasha in the healer's wing, and Sesshomaru in a much better mood.

Inuyasha immediately noticed something was wrong with his brother. On the few occasions Inuyasha riled him up enough to strike first, Sesshomaru never missed. He would always land the first blow before Inuyasha had a chance to defend. Inuyasha had to give Sesshomaru credit for hiding it so well. No one would be able to tell without crossing blades with him.

Inuyasha pushed back and started running toward the field behind the dojo where they normally sparred. When they reached the field at the same time, Inuyasha knew for sure. Sesshomaru was slow. He always beat him to the destination. It was completely shocking to see his arrogant bastard brother weakened.

"What happened to you?" Inuyasha quietly asked, the disbelief written all over his face. This was a dangerous, restless time, and Inuyasha knew better than to point out any of Sesshomaru's true weaknesses in his usual loud tone.

The two brothers faced off. Sesshomaru knew exactly what Inuyasha was referring to. "It is none of your concern. I will be ready for the other lords come tomorrow," he replied just loud enough for Inuyasha to hear. Despite their constant fighting, Inuyasha was one of the few people Sesshomaru allowed close to him. Sesshomaru never shared any of his troubles beyond ordering Inuyasha to take care of certain issues, but he trusted his brother nonetheless. They were pack.

"Keh. You don't stand a chance without a sword," Inuyasha obnoxiously proclaimed, breaking the brief, intimate moment.

Sesshomaru took a standard sword from the dojo wall. "This Sesshomaru does not need a fang to defeat the likes of you." And they were off again. A red and white blur clashing and zooming off again.

Sesshomaru landed a heavy punch and kicked Inuyasha into the ground, obliterating a tree in the process. "That's it. Your sorry ass is going down," Inuyasha shouted while digging himself from the rubble. He raced forward and locked swords with Sesshomaru, channeling his youki into tetseiga.

Sesshomaru was forced to do the same to prevent his sword from disintegrating. The air began to crackle with Sesshomaru's red youki, and Inuyasha's yellow one. Suddenly, Sesshomaru's sword cracked. The regular steel could not contain such energies. It broke and Sesshomaru twisted to the side. Knowing he was still too diminished to completely avoid tetseiga's blow, Sesshomaru tensed in anticipation for the painful scorch to his left arm.

However it never came. Instead, Sesshomaru's entire outfit flared a light blue, engulfing him in a blue glow. Tetseiga hit the mysterious blue energy and was flung back with such force, it flew out of Inuyasha's hands.

Both brothers were stunned. Inuyasha was frozen in place, hands still clutching at the air where Tetseiga had been. Sesshomaru raised his unharmed glowing left arm to examine the blue energy coating it.

"What the hell, Sesshomaru! Why are you covered in purification energy?" Inuyasha finally broke the awkward silence. "And why aren't you frying from it?" he added with increasing volume.

Sesshomaru ignored Inuyasha's ranting. This energy signature, it was definitely the miko's. And it had deflected Tetseiga, the fang that could kill a hundred demons with one swing. Protection charm indeed. "Hm." It seems his decision not to kill the strange miko was a good one. He had rationalized that the life debt he owed the miko was repaid by his sparing her life. But this reasoning was becoming increasingly…insufficient in Sesshomaru's mind. He would have to reevaluate the situation once he made his presence known to the cardinal lords.

"Summon Totousai. This Sesshomaru requires a sword."

"Don't just ignore me you bastard! What was all that blue miko power? Argh! Keh, if you don't answer me, I'm not getting that old crone for you."

Sesshomaru continued to walk away. "Summon Totousai," he commanded another servant, without breaking his step.

"DAMMIT! You're such an asshole," Inuyasha fumed. "Keh!" he snorted in disgust at his brother's retreating figure, and left to take out his anger on some harmless trees.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Lord Kyora of the South and Lord Akira of the East arrived at the Western Citadel. Sesshomaru had been wading through the atrocious amount of work left by Inuyasha all morning. Thankfully, the items Inuyasha did get to were done correctly. But that didn't excuse him from leaving the mountain of scrolls piled on his desk, shelves, and floor. When Jaken arrived to announce the lords, Sesshomaru couldn't have been happier. His youki was halfway recovered, and his mood was so foul, Jaken had remained plastered to the floor the whole time.

"Just in time," Sesshomaru responded with a dangerous smile on his face. Jaken promptly passed out from the sight. Someone was going to die.

Sesshomaru stalked into the dining room to "discuss" matters over lunch. His outward demeanor was as unreadable as ever, but his raging aura let both occupants know he was displeased with their actions thus far.

"I see you have defeated the former Lord Ryukotsusei. Informing your fellow lords would have been polite, no? It is such a bother to come here and congratulate you in person. I detest the cold," Kyora, the phoenix demon airily said.

Sesshomaru flared his youki a little more, and coldly replied, "This Sesshomaru would have sent the proper formalities had your messengers not arrived the very next day. Exactly what did you wish to achieve with this unnecessary visit?"

Kyora ruffled at the feel of Sesshomaru's youki, but held ground. "Oh please, Lord Sesshomaru! As if we could leave you in control of the West AND the North?" he flippantly retorted.

"If this Sesshomaru wished for supreme conquest, you would not be here right now." The tension was palpable.

Akira, the nine-tailed fox demon finally intervened. "Congratulations Lord Sesshomaru on defeating Ryukotsusei. Shall we discuss matters of state after lunch?" he proposed in a genial voice.

Sesshomaru looked at a servant, and she hastily left to bring out lunch.

"Yes, let us get this over with. Such cold weather needs some feminine companionship," Kyora sniffed.

"Ah yes, I remember you had quite the beauties in your harem, Lord Kyora," Akira smoothed over.

"Of course, they wouldn't complement my beauty otherwise. Unfortunately I could only bring three on this trip," Kyora sighed dramatically. Bird youkai were vain creatures by nature, and males always harbored large harems of females.

All the demon lords were actually stunningly handsome, but the phoenix demon preened the most out of the three. His pale aristocratic features were accented with crimson eyes, and brilliant green lips. His fiery curls were always kept in perfect order.

During the meal, Sesshomaru resisted the urge to maim the flamboyant phoenix. His steely control was tested, but not broken. Despite his pompous attitude, the bird was not a bad ruler. Although, recognizing this fact did not make Kyora any less grating on the nerves.

Akira settled into the role of mediator. Whether it was from centuries of wisdom, or simply a byproduct of fox demons' cautionary nature, his presence made the meeting tolerable.

"So you are not interested in taking on the affairs of the Northern Lands, Lord Sesshomaru?" Akira politely asked.

"This Sesshomaru has no desire to regulate a land wrought with civil strife for centuries," he monotonously answered. Sesshomaru strengthened his mental resolve not to revisit the unpleasant memories he had of the North.

"In that case, I believe we are all in agreement to leave the North to produce another lord?" Akira said.

"As if I would touch some ugly reptiles," Kyora sneered.

"So what are your plans for the Northern Lands?" Akira asked Sesshomaru.

"The plans of this Sesshomaru are none of your concerns. Once the North produces its own lord, Demon Council will be held according to Demon Law. Express your thoughts then," Sesshomaru curtly responded. This meeting was over as far as he was concerned.

Akira narrowed his hypnotic green eyes, glaring at the difficult demon lord. However, he kept his aura firmly tamped down. His strengths and talents were not in something as direct as a challenge. "We will determine the fitness of this new lord when the time comes. I guess this concludes business. Until then," Akira promptly got up to leave. 'And hopefully not a moment sooner,' he mentally added.

"Charming," Kyora dryly remarked, and also got up. There was no way he was going to stay with the dog demon by himself. The dog demon had absolutely the worst personality. But what could he do when said icicle could pluck all his feathers without breaking a sweat?

Without another word, Akira gave a respectful bow and left the palace. As soon as he was outside, Akira transformed from blonde flowing hair, to gleaming golden fur, and took to the skies in fox form. He always needed to expend some energy after dealing with those two blokes.

Sesshomaru saw the two lords off as formality dictated. Then, he quickly retired to his study, and the endless work within it.

Four days later, Sesshomaru finally stepped out of his study. An overflow of reports had been coming in from the North ever since he defeated Ryukotsusei. At least Inuyasha's left over work was finished. Although, he still had the needs of his palace to review. Since his mother, former Lady of the West, left over a century ago, the duties of his house were set upon him as well.

He really needed some reliable help. Between Jura, Inuyasha, and Jaken, his military and lands were fairly well managed. However, Sesshomaru was still the one who had to read and dictate all reports from his lands. Patrolling his lands was actually the best part of his duties.

If he were anyone else, Sesshomaru would have sighed. Instead, he ate an enormous meal and retired to his personal hot springs.

As he soaked, his thoughts wandered back to the strange miko. Stripped of all the niceties and excuses, Sesshomaru knew he owed the miko a life debt, and he was honor-bound to repay it. He closed his eyes. The thought was not as disturbing as it initially seemed. The miko had saved his life, provided for him, and unwittingly gifted him with a rare armor, disguised as a simple kimono. What a foolish human. Yet, for a human, he could have been stuck with much worse…

A light knock woke Sesshomaru. He had fallen asleep in the hot spring. "What is it?" he demanded in his usual monotone.

"M-master Totousai has completed your sword, Lord Sesshomaru," the maid stuttered out. She knew her lord could easily kill her for interrupting his first rest after 4 days.

"Hm," Sesshomaru answered. The maid scurried out at the dismissal, thanking her luck stars she was leaving with her life and everything else intact.

Sesshomaru entered the sitting room to receive Totousai. The only indication of Sesshomaru's sleep deprivation was the slight stiffness in his posture. And no one dared to near him enough to observe such fine details.

"Totousai, you have my new fang," Sesshomaru stated, more so than asked.

Totousai slurped his tea, and burped a small fireball. "Surie, Lord Sesshomaru. This is the bakusaiga."

"What are its powers?" Sesshomaru took the finely crafted white sword.

"No fun in spoiling the secret. You'll figure it out soon enough," Totousai whimsically said. Then, he jumped onto his bull and sped off into the sky. Old he may be, but Totousai wasn't senile yet. Sesshomaru might just kill him…

"Hm." Sesshomaru let the old man go. He walked toward the forest in the back of the dojo. The land there was marred with the numerous battles he'd had with Inuyasha. It was the perfect place to test his new sword. A few disintegrated trees and a deteriorated animal later, Sesshomaru was quite pleased with his new weapon. His fang disintegrated anything it cut. Truly a sword worthy of himself. It surpassed his father's heirloom, the tetsaiga, bequeathed to his bumbling brother.

With his youki fully recovered, and adorned once again with strong armor and weapons, Sesshomaru decided it was time to pay the miko a visit. He suppressed a yawn and headed northeast.

Sesshomaru landed several miles out from the village and approached the Holy village in stealth. As he neared, he could sense the miko's aura flaring erratically. He stopped his advance just outside the miko's sight.

"Dammit, that's it!" Kagome screamed at the wall of her small house. Her reiki was spiking high enough to make her glow. Thankfully, it didn't hurt anyone she deemed an ally. This was still little reassurance for Vallen, as his instincts demanded he flee. Hair standing on end, Vallen forced himself to stand by his alpha's side as she fumed.

"If they want a fight, they got it! Cowards…doing this stuff when they know we're all gone…" she mumbled. "Why didn't you do this when the demon was still here huh?" Kagome bellowed toward the village.

Kagome ran inside to grab a brush and parchment. After writing the message, she tied it to an arrow, and started stomping toward the village. "Hmph, the stupid villager probably can't read this thing," she huffed.

"Vallen! Track down who did this," Kagome snapped her command. Vallen jumped up and started sniffing. He ran down into the village and circled around the house of the culprits. Kagome followed a good distance behind.

Unable to resist his curiosity any more, Sesshomaru took the chance when the miko left to follow Vallen, to see what exactly had the miko so riled up. Sesshomaru growled as soon as he saw the wall.

"DEMENS WHOR" and "FILTHEE BITCH" were painted in large black scrawling letters on the side of the miko's house. From the look of it, several similar insults were painted on in the span of about three days. There were signs of the miko's attempts to cover the older writing with paint, but the black characters were hard to hide.

Sesshomaru scowled at the offensive, misspelled writing. As if he would ever rut with a human. To imply such would mean a painful death. He quickly followed the scent of the culprits, intent on enacting said justice.

A loud CRACK resounded into the night. The miko had fired a purity charged arrow at the wall of the culprit's house. The message she had tied onto the shaft was badly singed, but it didn't matter because she shouted it loud and clear. "If I were a whore, would I be able to fire an arrow like that?"

It seems the miko had beaten him to the retribution part.

"Be thankful I only cracked your stupid wall! I could have blown it away if I wanted to!" Kagome glared a final time at the crumbling wall before turning on her heels. It was the 5th time she had to repaint her blasted wall. Vallen still gave her a good 10 feet clearance.

Sesshomaru's eyes glittered with amusement at the fiery miko and the aftermath of her wrath. His sensitive ears could pick up the frantic squawking of the kimono shopkeeper and his wife. They thought a lightning bolt had struck their house, and were screaming their repentance to the gods. He followed the miko back to her house through the shadows. His aura and scent were completely masked, and his movements were soundless.

By the time she got to her house, she was feeling a bit guilty about her outburst. Maybe she went a little overboard. "Listen, Val. Don't let revenge or anger rule your life. But sometimes you can't let people push you around, got that?" Kagome tried to salvage the situation and make sure she wasn't giving Vallen bad teachings. A winged demon wolf he may be, but he was still an impressionable pup.

Kagome slowly painted away, with Vallen occasionally leaving to fetch water for her to mix more paint. A few smears of paint across her face later, Kagome had finished painting the first layer of white on the wall. She frowned at the miserably abused wall. It would take at least four more coats before the white paint would cover the cruel words. She needed better quality stuff than this cheap powdery mix.

Kagome knelt down and started rinsing off the brush. It was too late to do anything else tonight. Her bangs covered her tear rimmed eyes. Vallen whined and nudged her. She forced the tears back and wrapped her arms around Vallen's neck in a tight hug.

"You're the best, Val," she whispered into his fur. Quickly pulling herself together, Kagome stood up and smoothed out the wrinkles. "Okay, Val! Let's get home and cook something up. I think we deserve some late night snacks for all that hard work." she brightly announced.

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine. How had she missed such a large youki? Kagome immediately grabbed for her bow and arrow. A gleaming white figure stepped out of the forest. Sesshomaru.

Kagome relaxed her stance. "You scared me! Give me a warning next time." she grumbled.

Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow. The miko was insolent as ever. He glanced pointedly at the newly painted wall.

Kagome flushed with embarrassment at the demon lord seeing her less than fine moment. Sesshomaru was the one who caused the rumor in the first place, she thought in irritation. She raised her chin and glared defiantly at him. "Even with my 'inferior' human sight, I can see what happened to my house. If that is all you wanted, I'll take my leave," she curtly said.

Sesshomaru stared at the weak yet strong miko. He had been watching her the entire time. She may be worthy of the honor he was going to bestow on her. "This Sesshomaru has come to repay the life debt he owes to you."

"Huh?" Kagome intelligently asked. She couldn't follow Sesshomaru at all. Life debt?

Or maybe he overestimated the miko. Sesshomaru suppressed a sigh. He took out a silver medallion with his family's crest intricately carved on it. A crescent moon was in the center of a large hexagon with small flowers. "This is the crest of the House of the Moon. The medallion has a spell engrained into it. When you need the assistance of This Sesshomaru, run your reiki into the medallion. The spell will activate and alert This Sesshomaru of your location."

Kagome took the large medallion out of reflex when Sesshomaru held it up. "You'll come help me?" she looked at the medallion and then back at the demon lord incredulous.

"This Sesshomaru repays his debt," he merely said, and disappeared back into the forest.

The medallion was probably made of solid silver, and worth more than her house. She didn't even get a chance to refuse such a valuable piece. Yet she couldn't help a soft smile. There really was something more to that cold demon lord. Kagome safely pocketed the beautiful medallion. The words on her wall suddenly didn't seem so bad. They were immature, and degraded them more than her.


	6. Chapter 6

A month later, Kagome was trekking through the forest to hunt. Vallen, as always, was sturdily by her side.

With a sharp bark, Vallen zoomed into the brush.

'Or not…' a vein popped in Kagome's forehead. "Come back here you stupid wolf!" she yelled, and charged after him. This was farther west than they had gone before, and she wasn't familiar with the wildlife, or wild demons in the area.

Ten minutes later, Kagome finally caught up with Vallen. "What has gotten into you? We don't know this part well enough to just run around like that," Kagome admonished. Then she saw it.

Lying in a pool of its own blood, a snow white winged wolf was left to die. Its two hind legs were crushed, and its wings were askew in obviously unnatural angles. On closer inspection, blood was seeping out from between its legs. Kagome was now almost certain it was a female, and had been horribly assaulted.

Vallen whined and brushed up against the seemingly dead winged wolf. Black eyes slowly fluttered open, and focused expectantly at Vallen. Its gaze was world weary, and so cynical. Almost as if she expected Vallen to sexually assault her as well, and didn't care.

Kagome's heart clenched at the sight of those dull black eyes. 'So lifeless and forlorn.' The white winged wolf knew she was going to die. Suddenly, Kagome froze in mid motion toward the wolf.

They were surrounded. There must have been hundreds of winged wovles. She had been so focused on the injured wolf, she hadn't paid attention to her surroundings. Vallen had already transformed into his larger self, and was growling in warning. Countless red eyes shone from the shadows around them.

Time seemed to stop as Kagome's heart beat pounded in her ears. Her mind raced with possible scenarios, all of which ended badly. A slight breeze, and all of a sudden, motion erupted and time sped forth. Kagome strung an arrow at the same time dozens of winged wolves charged at the three huddled figures. The arrow left a blazing trail of ash, and Vallen fought to cover her back. However the endless stream of wolves blocked out the sun, and all attempts at fighting back were futile.

With no other choice, Kagome grabbed an arrow and prepared to erect a barrier around them by ramming it into the ground at her feet. Her own automatic reiki flare would have protected her, but only this kind of barrier would protect all three of them.

A bone breaking crunch and gruesome rain of blood, and Kagome was vaulted into the sky in the jaws of a large brown winged wolf. Her reiki flare hadn't been strong enough to deter the wolf while she was focusing her powers on the arrow. The barrier arrow fell useless to the ground. Everything happened so fast, she hadn't even felt the wolf's teeth tear into her shoulder. Only now, flying hundreds of feet up in the air, did the excruciating pain catch up to her.

"AHHhhhhhhhhgggggggh!" Kagome screamed in agony, but fought to control the rising reiki trying to purify the beast carrying her. If she purified it now, she would plummet to her death. Blood was trickling down her captured arm and side. Even if Vallen somehow managed to extricate himself from fifty demons and catch her, the simple removal of the teeth stemming the blood flow, would cause her to bleed out in a matter of minutes. Healing herself was always slower than for others, and she'd need more time than just five minutes to patch up the severed arteries.

'I'm going to die,' the thought echoed in her mind. Even as she thought it, her mind rebelled against the idea. Frantically, it searched for alternatives. The medallion. She had almost forgotten about it. She hadn't taken off the long chain that held the medallion since she received it. It was ludicrous to think that: 1. Sesshomaru, a mighty demon lord, would answer the call, 2. He would get here in time if he did, and 3. He could do anything about the gush of blood that would inevitably come out of her shoulder and kill her even if he did kill the wolf and catch her. Absolutely insane.

Yet it was her only option left. And so, in the span of seconds since being lifted off the ground, Kagome ran a strong charge of reiki through the medallion.

Sesshomaru was in his palace discussing matters of defense with Inuyasha and Jura when he felt the unmistakable jolt of reiki. It had only been a month since he had given the medallion to the miko, but apparently she had already gotten herself into trouble.

"We will continue this another time. This Sesshomaru has matters to attend," he said, abruptly getting up from the table.

"What the fuck? We just started!" Inuyasha retorted. Jura obediently bowed. But Sesshomaru was already gone, streaking across the sky in his golden orb.

In less than a minute, Sesshomaru could already smell the miko's blood. Lots of it. The thought of him being too late to save the miko grated on his nerves. He would not fail at returning the life debt. With that thought, Sesshomaru sped up even further.

He saw the miko right away, getting released from thousands of feet up in the air by a winged wolf. Blood spurt from her shoulder, and Sesshomaru wondered if it wasn't already too late. He took humanoid form once again and zoomed over to catch the miko. A flick of his wrist en route, and the winged wolf was cleaved in half. As soon as he caught the miko, he sealed the gaping wound in her shoulder with his poison. The burned flesh was unpleasant to his nose, but it stopped the blood from pouring out.

The burn of the poison was worse than any concoction of alcohol and salt she could have possibly put in her wound. Kagome's throat tightened so hard from the pain, that her scream was silent. Tears streamed down her face, as she finally caught her breath. The cauterized wound was now mostly numb, a welcome side effect of the poison. The amount that seeped into her system was quickly neutralized by her miko powers.

Kagome blinked away the moisture from her eyes, and stared disbelievingly up at the demon lord who had her securely wrapped against his side. "You came," she murmured, not even attempting to hide the wonder in her voice.

Sesshomaru glanced down at the miko's awestruck face, and felt a bubble of male pride rise to the surface. He kept tight rein on his facial expression, but his eyes glittered arrogantly. "This Sesshomaru is honorable," he intoned haughtily.

That quickly snapped Kagome out of her adoring gaze. She had been amazed by his speed, effective, albeit brutal, method to stem the bleed, and seamless catch of her person. He had even managed to kill the wolf during all of that! But he was so damn cocky about it! It ruined whatever infatuated image of a knight in shining armor she had superimposed on the stoic lord when he saved her.

However, before Kagome could comment, she felt the mass of small youkis almost blocking out the familiar one of Vallen. Gods, she hoped he wasn't dead. Kagome bore her determined eyes into Sesshomaru, demanding his attention. "Trust me, and don't let go," she calmly ordered.

Sesshomaru didn't have much time to dwell on the fact that a miko had just _ordered _him, the great demon lord of the west, nor on the fact that the order made no sense. He quickly understood what she meant by it. The miko was channeling her reiki, and lots of it. His arm tingled from the foreign sensation of purification energy gliding on his skin, without burning it. In fact, it felt nice and cool, eliciting waves of goose bumps. He tightened his grip on the miko when he felt the energy pool into her uninjured left hand.

"Get away from him!" she shouted, while releasing a large orb of purification energy directly at the wolves on top of Vallen. The orb exploded as it hit the ground, purifying any that did not leap off of Vallen in time. Vallen lay unharmed by the purification energy.

As soon as Sesshomaru touched down, Kagome struggled free from his grasp and sped toward Vallen. The wolves regrouped and were about to pounce on Kagome once again. She didn't have time to make a barrier around both of them since she had dropped all her arrows. Instead, she threw herself on top of Vallen, hoping her natural barrier would be enough.

Sesshomaru stared after the miko in shock. What in high heavens was she thinking, running into the wolf's lair, so to speak, with a useless dominant arm, and no weapon? Sesshomaru growled in frustration when he saw the miko fling herself on top of her winged wolf. He did not just rush in and save her, just for her to foolishly throw it all away a moment later. Faster than eyes could track, Sesshomaru appeared in front of the glowing miko and sliced apart all the wolves that had pounced with a twirl of his poison whip.

Kagome had squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the impact that never came. Confused, she slowly cracked open an eye. Looking down at her with an expressionless face was Sesshomaru. So outwardly calm and beautiful, yet ruthless and terribly strong.

He flared his youki, and the remaining winged wolves fled. His youki brushed heavily against Kagome, and she shivered. 'Thank gods he's on my side,' she thought. '…at least for now…'

Kagome quickly directed her attention on more dire matters at hand. Vallen was mauled half to death – covered in claw marks, with chunks of flesh missing altogether. Tears sprang to Kagome's eyes just looking at him. She immediately began channeling her energy to heal him.

Sesshomaru continued to analyze the confusing miko. He had been wrong about his initial assessment of the miko. She truly did care for the stunted winged wolf. She had even sacrificed her own body to protect it. Curious. The miko had an unhealthy tendency to be self-sacrificing; he thought back to when she had drained herself to help him. And once again, she seemed to be healing others despite her own wound.

"Miko, This Sesshomaru's poison is not without effect, even if this version is less corrosive," he reminded apathetically.

The miko raised her turbulent blue eyes and choked, "But Val…what if he dies?" Sesshomaru remained silent and Kagome continued to heal Vallen.

Fifteen minutes later, Vallen got up on stiff paws. Chunks of fur were still missing, but the wounds were mostly healed. He licked and nuzzled Kagome in thanks. Immediately, a smile broke across her tear stained face. It lifted her features and returned the sparkle to her eyes. Her agitated aura calmed into its usual soothing caress.

Vallen then gingerly walked over to the white winged wolf that got them into this whole mess. She had been unharmed during the battle, but was definitely getting weaker. Vallen looked over his shoulder at his alpha, and whined pitifully.

"Don't give me that puppy dog look," Kagome tried to be firm. "She didn't look like she had any will to live. Would she even want to after what happened to her?" Vallen silently pleaded with his big blue eyes. Kagome didn't stand a chance against them. She could never say no to that look. With a sigh, Kagome walked over and knelt by the white winged wolf.

After a more thorough exam of the battered wolf, Kagome's naturally soft heart caved in. "What happened to you?" she quietly asked.

"The wolf was banished from her pack, the very one that attacked. The alpha is dishonorable. A traitor to the pack should have been dealt a swift death by virtue of its previous position within the pack," Sesshomaru commented. He then took a larger inhale. "Especially a rising alpha female almost of breeding age."

Kagome didn't know what startled her more – the fact that she wasn't expecting an answer, or the fact that this was the longest Sesshomaru had ever talked. Not one to look at a gift horse in the mouth, she cheerily responded, "Wow , I never knew that. Thanks, Sesshomaru!"

"Miko, you address This Sesshomaru as lord," he stiffly said.

"And you should address This Kagome by name. KA-GO-ME! I am an individual, not a broad category," she returned stubbornly. "Now excuse me while I get back to work," she promptly started healing the wolf.

Sesshomaru sharply narrowed his eyes at the miko. Miko was a perfectly respectable title. He had not called her "human", "wench", or any other more degrading name since their first meeting. Besides, addressing one by first name meant some degree of familiarity and was not proper. And the blasted miko dared to ignore him once again. She was foolishly testing her luck by healing all except herself. Ridiculous.

As soon as Kagome finished healing, the white wolf sprang to her feet, snapping at the group. She was obviously scared, and sore from the newly healed wounds.

"Whoa there. It's okay. We aren't going to hurt you. Your wounds just closed up, so don't move around too much. If you don't have anywhere else to go, you can come with us. But we won't force you to do anything," Kagome said in her most calming voice.

"Alpha and I will protect you. Safe now," Vallen chimed in using demon tongue.

The white wolf growled in warning, and then fled into the woods. Vallen made a move to chase after her.

"Vallen! Stop!" Kagome commanded. Vallen instantly obeyed and circled back, yipping and whinning his desire to follow the female wolf.

"Give her some time, Val. She was chased down by some male wolves in her own pack not long ago. Don't push her. She'll come back if she wants to," Kagome told Vallen while rubbing the back of his ears. Vallen settled down next to her, but still snorted a little in protest.

"Silly wolf. You like her already? You are such a sucker for a beauty," Kagome teased. "How about this, you can hunt her a meal. She's probably too sore to catch one on her own right now. Just leave it here for her to find. And scent mark the way back to our house okay?" Vallen yipped in agreement and dashed off.

"Don't stray too far," Kagome called to the vanishing form of Vallen. Kagome chuckled and looked back, only to find Sesshomaru walking away.

"Wait! Sesshomaru….Lord Sesshomaru!" Kagome quickly got up and tried to run after him. But she stood too fast in lieu of her previous blood loss, and came crashing right back down. "Oommff! Please wait," she hurried out despite the jarring pain of landing partially on her injured shoulder.

Sesshomaru paused when he heard the miko fall. She was obviously in no condition to defend herself. With her wolf romping around like a pup in heat, the miko was left completely vulnerable. It mattered not. He had repaid his life debt. What happened to her afterwards was none of his concern. "This Sesshomaru has repaid his debt," he simply answered.

Kagome was now on her feet. "I know. I just wanted to say thank you. I really thought I was a goner. Thank you for saving my life, Sesshomaru," she sincerely said, bowing deeply. After straightening back up, she more hesitantly added, "I consider you a friend. So feel free to drop by. I will help you."

Sesshomaru regarded her clear blue eyes. They held no malice or deceit. Yet the truth that shined through only disturbed him more. The miko was abnormal – against everything Sesshomaru knew of humans, of instincts, of self-preservation. It disturbed him. She had forcibly made an impression on him. And he wanted to remember no human. "This Sesshomaru requires no 'friends', and definitely not of your ilk," he coldly dismissed.

Kagome frowned. "Well, what you think of me doesn't change how I consider you. And you know what, friends may not be _required_, but it's a hell of a lot nicer to know someone is doing something for your sake, and not because they owe you," Kagome retorted.

Sesshomaru didn't want to hear her words. He didn't want to acknowledge her. So he took to the skies without another glance back. Hopefully, this was the last time he ever had to deal with the miko. He expanded his aura, making sure the area was clear of demons. He wasn't skirting his duties by leaving the injured miko unguarded in the middle of the forest, he rationalized. He just had to get away from her irritating presence.

Kagome huffed at the retreating figure, and purposefully faced the opposite way. She still had a lot of work to do healing herself. She had no time paying attention to a recalcitrant demon lord. Although it made sense. Who would welcome the friendship of an outcast miko? Especially a human-hating demon…


	7. Chapter 7

Two months later

Sesshomaru was once again swamped with reports. It seemed a victor had finally emerged to take the throne in the North. "Lord Ryura of the North, hm," Sesshomaru read. It was about time. All the lands were getting increasingly unruly. The chaos of the northern lands was spilling into his western lands, and Sesshomaru was not happy about that at all. Inuyasha and Jura were at the border with a few small battalions containing the damages, which left Sesshomaru patrolling the lands almost every night.

The humans and lesser demons had all fled the north into the western and eastern lands bordering it. They were a rough, merciless bunch. Any demon or human that could survive the harsh terrain and brutal dragons up North would easily be able to feed off their tamer cousins in the wealthier lands.

It was only late afternoon, but Sesshomaru knew he had to head out soon if he wanted to finish his patrols. Given the numerous bandits and mindless demons he had to take down, the patrols were getting rather long. His sleep cycle was extended to once every week, instead of once every three days. However, Sesshomaru wasn't complaining. He would take a bit of sleep deprivation to keep the constant nightmares at bay. In fact, the delayed sleep usually kept any unpleasant memories of his past from surfacing at all.

Sesshomaru slowly donned his armor and strapped bakusaiga and tenseiga onto his sash. Tenseiga, the twin sword to Tetseiga. A sword that doesn't cut. A sword of life. Ridiculous. Inuyasha and his mother had been raised by this sword.

Inu no Taisho had bequeathed this useless sword to him during a time when he most needed power, most needed Tetseiga. Sesshomaru was not even 300, equivalent to about 16 human years, when his father died and left him with the responsibility of all the West. His life was constantly threatened, and his title constantly challenged for nearly 50 years afterward. And yet, his father had given Tetseiga to a pup. He went as far as to put a spell that prevented him from holding Tetseiga.

When the power struggles finally died down, Inuyasha's mother had died of mortality, and he was left with a simpering hanyou pup for a brother. Inuyasha had been protected all his life. His father had been challenged countless times for taking a human. The final time, Inu no Taisho had been ambushed by dragons, just barely saving Inuyasha and Izayaoi from the Daimyo, who had coordinated with the demons, before succumbing to his fatal wounds. It had taken Sesshomaru decades to let go of the rage at his father's underhanded defeat and his father's willingness to abandon everything, including himself, to save his true 'loved' ones.

Sesshomaru had also fought countless battles on the account of Inuyasha's tainted blood. As if his own burden wasn't heavy enough to prove himself at such a young age; he had to justify Inuyasha's existence as well.

It was only when Inuyasha started coming of age when Sesshomaru realized the true reason his father left the Tetseiga to the hanyou. It was meant to seal his demon blood. To prevent Inuyasha from becoming a mindless, bloodthirsty demon. It was then, when Sesshomaru truly stopped desiring the fang.

Now, over a century later, Inuyasha was finally starting to live up to his demon bloodline. Sesshomaru had accepted him as his brother, but he still resented his comparatively easy life. Inuyasha had to fight against discrimination, but not for survival. Those fights were always done by the older members of his family. At least Inuyasha was able to use Tetseiga sufficiently now.

As for Tenseiga, Sesshomaru had used the power sparingly on Jaken and occasionally a few soldiers. It served more as a shield for youki, than a true sword.

Sesshomaru left his study, and shut the door on his reminiscence. He had duties to perform.

Sesshomaru had only surveyed 3 villages, and already dispatched one giant ogre, and a clan of troublesome snake demons. It was utterly boring killing off such low level demons. He didn't even touch the demons, simply using his poison whip to take care of the nuisances.

Dusk was falling when a familiar scent reached his nose. Lavender and vanilla. Why was the miko so far into his territories? He had not thought of the miko for over two weeks now. Just when he was making progress, she had to interfere again. Sesshomaru was tempted to alter his route to bypass the annoying miko. However, he refused to change course because of a mere human.

Yet, the nearer he got, the more intrigued he became. Her scent mingled with the stench of other humans, horses, and old blood. He couldn't smell that wolf of hers anywhere. Then he felt it. Her power signature markedly increased. Sesshomaru unconsciously began to pick up the pace toward the miko.

He was not prepared for the sight that met him. Sesshomaru assumed the miko had gotten herself into trouble again, and was fighting off some humans. But what he found was the miko unconscious on the ground with both arms tied above her head on a camp post. Her clothes were ripped off, leaving most of her flesh exposed, and surrounding her were five men, obviously bandits.

The scent of their heavy arousal combined with the reek of unwashed bodies made Sesshomaru's stomach turn. The miko, in her unconscious state, was trying to fend off the offensive males by creating a purity barrier around her body. It made her skin glow a warm blue, and any demon would probably disintegrate upon touching her. However these men weren't demons. They were bandits, and the only thing getting purified was the months old grime on their disgusting bodies.

"Mmm, I've been waiting all day to get my hands on you," the man situated between her legs said while lapping a thick trail of spittle on her inner thigh. The trail was purified as fast as it was being made.

The other men laughed darkly. "Oh yes, I haven't had a miko in a long time." "Do you taste as sweet as you look?" "We'll be sure to fill up all your holes." They groped her breasts, and another bit down on her nipple hard enough to draw blood. Kagome whimpered and tried to squirm away from the assault.

"We should wake her up. I want to hear her scream," one commented nastily. "Yes, she was quite the fighter before you knocked her out on your horse."

"Oh don't worry, she'll wake up screaming when I ram into her," the leader said, untying his dirty fundoshi.

"Make it hurt. She killed four of us before we took her down," another sadistically added.

Sesshomaru snapped into action when he heard the fabric drop. With a fierce growl and glowing red eyes, Sesshomaru grabbed the leader by the neck and flung him away from the miko.

These filthy humans were just like the ones of his childhood. The scars they left still haunted Sesshomaru. 'Never again,' he thought with mounting fury. He was no longer a helpless pup.

The miko did not deserve such a fate. No one should suffer the brutality of rape. He would tear these scum apart limb by limb. Snarling in rage, Sesshomaru ripped the sword arm off of the other four men. A swipe of his most deadly poison, and the genitals melted off of the bandits like ice in boiling water. Their screams echoed through the forest.

Kagome awoke to the horrendous sight of a feral Sesshomaru flaying open a man by breaking off one rib at a time and stabbing them into the man's own limbs. She tilted her head away and found a single bloodied eyeball looking at her. She was lying in the middle of the butchered remains of the bandits that took her. Her arms were still tightly tied, displaying her bruised body shamelessly.

Gods she was almost raped.

Kagome whimpered and fought the wave of nausea that came with that thought. Her body glowed even brighter, as if her reiki was trying to burn the idea away.

Sesshomaru immediately stopped pulverizing the dead corpse when he heard the miko whimper. His markings were still thick and jagged. His fangs hung past his lower lip, and his eyes glowed red like molten lava. He slowly stalked toward the miko.

Kagome snapped open her eyes to look at the terrifying Sesshomaru approaching her. The nausea waned in the face of ferocity.

Sesshomaru desperately fought for control. The glint of fear in the usually fearless miko's eyes finally put a damper on the raging storm inside him. He regained control, and his irises changed from turquoise back to gold. However his visage was just as monstrous as before.

Sesshomaru extended a clawed hand toward the miko's bound arms. He touched the reiki barrier, expecting it to scorch him. However, it seemed to recognize his intent and simple caressed his youki. The unwitting act of submission calmed him greatly. He sliced through the rope, and started taking off his armor. Sesshomaru peeled off his inner haori and threw it over the miko's exposed body.

Kagome gladly took the clothes. She then stared at the still feral looking demon lord more closely. He was shrugging his armor back on, and was purposefully looking away from her to preserve what little modesty she had left. The fear she felt quickly disappeared. Despite his appearance, Sesshomaru didn't hurt her, and had saved her once again. Kagome touched his hand. The claws were still dangerously elongated, but paradoxically, it made her feel safe.

Sesshomaru looked down at the miko's small hand touching his much larger, sharper one. He lifted his gaze to meet hers in an unspoken question. The miko stared at him with deep, grateful eyes, and a soft smile – and then passed out. 'Strange creature. She no longer fears me, even in this state,' he thought. Sesshomaru easily caught her and eased her onto his shoulder. Mokomoko wrapped protectively around the petite miko. As soon as she was securely embraced in his pelt, the reiki glow disappeared.

Sesshomaru was now back to normal, and quietly marveled at how trusting the miko was of him. She had just seen him slaughter five humans, and enjoy it. He had literally minced them to the point that none of their remains were recognizable. Any normal human would be cowering before him. How could she see him as anything other than a monster, a demon?

He flew back to his castle with the miko.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You are back early. How can I serv—you evil human wench, unhand Lord Sesshomaru at once!" Jaken squawked at the unconscious miko.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, and Jaken immediately flattened to the floor, blubbering apologies.

"The miko is a guest. Send for Seri, and prepare a guest room in the West Wing," Sesshomaru commanded. Seri was the palace healer, and an old owl demon.

"But the West Wing is only for family and the most important guests!" Jaken blurted out in surprise. Sesshomaru promptly kicked him down the hall. He then carried the miko to the infirmary and set her on a private bed there.

"You summoned me, my lord?" Seri dryly answered. She was an old demon, who had delivered Sesshomaru as well as his sire, Toga. Seri was one of the few people that could talk back to Sesshomaru and live to tell the tale.

"Take care of the miko. This Sesshomaru will check on her progress tomorrow morning," he pointedly said.

"I'm sure she'll be all fixed up by then," Seri said after a brief inspection.

Sesshomaru nodded and returned to his patrol. After the miko incident, he was behind schedule. It was going to be another long night.

When Sesshomaru was gone, Seri turned back to the miko. Sesshomaru's inner haori was still wrapped around her body. "You must be something else to have caught that arrogant pup's eye."

Sesshomaru flew back to the site where he found the miko. He sprayed the area with poison, erasing all traces of flesh and bone. If only he could erase his own memories that easily. The miko was troublesome. She reminded him of things he'd rather not revisit. She tickled his curiosity and intellect in ways no human should. So human, yet so different.

He raced through the forest, hoping to lose himself in the wind. Hoping it would blow away these unnecessary distractions. Sesshomaru effortlessly killed another group of bandits, not even slowing down his pace. Three hours before dawn, he finished his patrol. He had sped through it all, and now had extra time. However, the prospect of sleep seemed impossible. Instead, he settled against a tree out looking a cliff drop, and tried to meditate. It would help shut out the unwanted memories, and maybe even those irrationally warm smiles the miko directed toward him.


	8. Chapter 8

Kagome awoke to bright rays of sunlight streaming in through the large stained glass windows. She suddenly jerked up to take in the foreign surroundings. Her heart rate soared, and her defensive reiki glow reappeared. She recalled her run in with bandits, and then Sesshomaru saving her. But what happened after that? Did he leave her? Did some other people pick her up?

There was a knock at the door, and Kagome jumped out of bed and into a defensive stance. Her hands were charged with reiki orbs. A trembling maid hesitantly appeared in the doorway. "Lady Miko, please calm down," she squeaked anxiously.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Kagome demanded, still pointing her charged hands at the maid. Then, she felt Sesshomaru's aura a moment before he appeared in the doorway.

"Miko," Sesshomaru stoically addressed.

Relief flooded Kagome as soon as she saw the demon lord, and she quickly pulled back her reiki. "Oh! Sesshomaru….ah Lord Sesshomaru. Ahem, sorry I didn't know if you had left me there and someone else picked me up or something…" Kagome's rambling trailed off under his steady gaze. She fidgeted nervously, now embarrassed by her paranoid display. The maid was still pressed as close as possible against the doorframe. It looked like she was trying to blend in with it, or just disappear altogether.

"Sorry I scared you…uhm, what is your name?" Kagome apologized, walking toward the maid.

The maid was still wrapping her head around how the Lady Miko could possibly feel more threatened by her than by Lord Sesshomaru. When the Lady Miko apologized, she could only gape at her.

"Come to This Sesshomaru's study after you have met your necessities," Sesshomaru filled up the awkward silence, and promptly left.

"I'm Kagome, a miko living on the outskirts of the western lands," Kagome introduced herself, trying to smooth over the bad first impression.

"U-Umi. My name is Umi, Lady Miko," the maid shyly replied.

Kagome smiled genuinely at the rabbit demon. "Hi, Umi. Just call me Kagome. I'm no Lady, and besides, that title is way too wordy to keep saying. Is there a bath anywhere I could possibly use?" she said genially.

"Of course, Lady M-" Umi paused when Kagome looked pointedly at her. "Kagome. Please follow me," she corrected. The question helped refocus the maid, but she was still utterly confused and intrigued by the strange miko. How could a miko be this friendly to a demon?

Kagome scrubbed herself raw by the time she stepped out of the extraordinary built-in hot spring. Thankfully she hadn't been conscious for the experience, but her skin still crawled just thinking that one of those dirty, smelly bandits had touched her. Kagome quickly pushed the thought away. Sesshomaru was expecting her.

Umi retrieved Kagome and dressed her in a kimono that was probably worth more than five seasons' harvest. And it was the plainest one she could find in the closest! It was a beautiful pale yellow, with tiny white flower patterns scattered around the sleeves, and a rustic orange obi. Kagome felt like a princess. She wasn't used to this kind of treatment at all. When Umi started pulling out the makeup and hair ornaments, Kagome waved her hands in defense. "I'm fine, Umi! Seriously! Ah…Lord Sesshomaru must be waiting…yes, that's right," Kagome rushed out.

The maid hesitated, but finally relented and led Kagome to Sesshomaru's study. Before Kagome could knock, Sesshomaru's deep baritone ordered, "Enter."

Kagome took a deep breath, straightened, and entered. She had prepared herself for the questions he would inevitably ask.

Sesshomaru was surprised yet again by the miko, though centuries of practice and habit kept his face stoic as usual. He had only seen her in simple miko garb, or none at all, his deviant mind added. The feminine kimono was becoming. However, he forced himself not to dwell on such trivial notions.

"How were you captured by stray bandits? What was their purpose?" Sesshomaru asked emotionlessly.

'To the point as always,' Kagome thought. "I sent Vallen to guard Areta, the white winged wolf we saved. They had hit it off pretty well, and now she's pregnant. The father should always stay and protect the family. So they are holing up at home for safety. It was just after lunch and I was in the woods picking medicinal herbs…I let my guard down. By the time I noticed, it was too late. The bandits closed in on me with horses. I could only kill four of them before they knocked me out. I don't think there was any particular motivation for my capture. They weren't the smartest bunch. And you know the rest."

Of course the miko would take in another stray. The miko was naïve. Her softness and ideals were unfit for survival. Furthermore, for the amount of raw power she had, the miko was quite bad at detecting auras, or using her energies to boost her physical attributes. "You are poorly trained," Sesshomaru bluntly remarked.

Kagome flushed. "I know I can't manipulate my miko powers to their fullest yet, but I've done fine on my own," she defended. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of admitting it, but Kagome knew she lacked offensive training. She excelled at healing and the finer control of a fraction of her powers, but had little endurance, and her offensive techniques were limited at best. Kaede had only teached her how to use a bow, and since the old miko's powers weren't great, she could impart little to Kagome in regards to drawing out her full reiki.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. The miko attracted trouble like bees to honey. "It is a wonder you have survived until now," he dryly remarked.

Was that a hint of humor? Kagome huffed indignantly, and decided to change the topic before it got ugly. "Why did you save me?" It had seemed like he had washed his hands of her the last time they met.

"The reasons of This Sesshomaru are none of your concern." He was actually having a hard time coming to terms with his own impulsive behavior. He had acted on some long forgotten instincts triggered by a sight so similar to his dark past. A past he would never reveal to anyone. It was unsettling that his control could slip so easily.

Kagome expected that answer. She gave an exasperated sigh, but softened her terse tone. "You know, you don't have to be so guarded around me. I'm not part of…this," she waved a hand at the room, "this world of yours." Kagome truly was far removed from everything Sesshomaru was involved in. In a sense, she was more of a bystander in the demon world.

"Anyway, thank you, Sesshomaru," she sincerely said. A sardonic smile slowly crept into her features. "We need to stop meeting like this, at each other's worst moments."

"Hm," Sesshomaru sat as unreadable as ever. Inside, he couldn't agree more. Their meetings were always so extraordinary and disturbing.

Kagome stood up. "Please thank the healer that patched me up. Umi was wonderful as well. I will take my leave as soon as I get my clothes-" That's right. They were shredded by the bandits, Kagome thought with a shiver. "…I would be grateful if you could provide me with a simple garb. I will take my leave after that."

Sesshomaru caught the shiver at the mention of her shredded clothes, a reminder of the night before. He couldn't help feeling agitated, and that only irritated him further. The miko was of no consequence! "The attire you currently have on is not sufficient?" he again stated, more so then asked.

"Oh! No no! This kimono is…it's worth more than anything I own! I cannot take such an expensive piece. I have no way of paying you back. And there's no way I want to be more in debt to you then I already am," she ended half teasingly. But all joking aside, they really did come from different worlds, Kagome realized.

The kimono was insignificant. And the miko was deviating from norm once again. Somehow, Sesshomaru was not surprised. "This Sesshomaru is lord, and will have only the best. The kimono is of no consequence. Umi will see to your other needs. " He began reading the scroll on his desk, clearly dismissing the miko.

Kagome opened and then closed her mouth. Arguing with the stubborn demon lord once he's made up his mind was wasted breath. Besides, if he didn't care about giving away such a beautiful kimono, who was she to say otherwise.

She gave a polite bow and turned to leave. As Kagome opened one of the large double doors to the study, she looked back at Sesshomaru. He was studying the scrolls on his large oak desk. The walls were lined with shelves, filled with scrolls, parchments, and maps. There were even scrolls in neat little piles against the side of his desk.

Sesshomaru sat with his back straight as a board, scribbling furiously on the parchment. She didn't remember him being this tense back at her house. Kagome distinctly remembered him propped up against her hot spring, resting a hand on a bent knee.

It was outrageous, but it almost seemed like Sesshomaru was tired, or maybe high strung? Kagome shook her head. It was definitely her imagination. Still…. "Take care, Sesshomaru," she quietly murmured, and disappeared through the door.

Sesshomaru paused his writing briefly at her peculiar parting words, before returning to the endless work at hand. A short while later, he felt a disturbance in the barrier around his citadel. It looks like the miko's wolf finally arrived. He adjusted the barrier spell to allow its entrance. "Jaken, alert the guards to let the winged wolf pass," he summoned.

The order to stand down was a little slow travelling to the guards at the very front greeting the beast. Vallen punctured his howling calls with snarls and swipes at the guards surrounding him. Kagome recognized the howls immediately and started running toward the front. However, the large palace was impossible to maneuver through on her own.

Seri was walking to check on the strange miko when she saw her barreling through the hall. The miko pivoted to stop in front of Seri. "Excuse me, miss. Would you please direct me to the entrance way? I need to go to my wolf friend," Kagome hurried out. On cue, Vallen's howls echoed through the complex.

"I see. Follow me, Lady Miko," Seri said, quickening her pace to the gates. The old owl demon had brown and grey speckled feathers for hair, and sharp orange eyes set in a weathered face. Her fingers were tipped with sharp black talons. She was unmistakably demon.

"Oh, sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Kagome, Kagome Higurashi. May I ask your name?" she politely asked.

"Seri. I'm the palace healer," Seri replied, studying the strange miko.

"Were you the one that bandaged me up?" Kagome quickly made the connection.

"Indeed. Although, your natural healing powers would have taken care of everything without my help.

"No, thank you for helping me, Seri. Usually I am terribly sore after healing, but the ointment you put on me made it disappear. I had jumped right out of bed like it never happened. Your medicines truly are amazing," Kagome sincerely said.

Seri chuckled. This miko was like no other miko. In her long life, Seri had come across few humans that were so open minded and accepting of demons. Inuyasha's mother was one. "You're welcome, young one. You are welcome to stop by the Infirmary. I'd be happy to teach you."

Kagome's eyes lit up. "Really? I would love to! Demon medicines are all so much more advanced than human remedies. But…" her excitement dimmed. "I should not overstay my welcome. Se-Lord Sesshomaru would not appreciate my human presence in his home." Her shoulders sagged a little at the missed opportunity.

She had graduated from Kaede's teachings a few years ago, and had not been able to find another willing teacher since. The village mikos were out of the question. Kikyo knew more advanced techniques, especially with regard to her vast spiritual powers. However, Kagome would never willingly seek her out if she could help it. She may have forgiven Kikyo because the fault lied more in the village teachings, but Kagome would never forget what she did. She would never forget Shippo.

Seri noticed the amicable miko had turned silent, obviously lost in her own thoughts. She had instantly liked the strange miko, and her instincts were always right. "Well that pup could always use a distraction from work," Seri muttered.

Kagome stumbled when she heard the owl demon refer to Sesshomaru as a "pup". "Sesshomaru, pup? How old are you, Seri?" Kagome exclaimed. She immediately slapped her hand over her mouth. She really should practice interacting with more people so she didn't just blurt out anything that ran through her head.

This time, Seri let out a hearty laugh. "You are a funny one," she crowed.

"I'm so sorry. I meant no offense to any of you," Kagome bumbled.

Seri waved it off. "I like the straight ones. I was around to deliver Inu no Taisho, Sesshomaru's sire. I'm just over 2000 years old, little one," she said genially.

"Wow. You look great for your age," Kagome blabbed again. She flushed a little at her runaway mouth.

Seri just laughed again. The miko was a breath of fresh air in this stuffy castle. She hoped Sesshomaru would keep her around for entertainment purposes, if nothing else. They went through the doors out into the sunlight.

By now, the guards had gotten the message to stand down, and Vallen was racing toward Kagome in all his fully transformed glory.

"Val!" Kagome broke out into a beautiful smile. She was glad to see the black fur ball. It made her feel at home again. Kagome had been a little apprehensive about her trip back after her last attack. Then, she seemed to realize that a winged wolf the size of an overgrown horse was still charging at her.

"Oh, no…whoa boy!" Kagome tried to warn him off, but it was too late. Vallen easily toppled the miko over, and proceeded to give her a big slobbery welcome. "Val. Val! Okay boy, I missed you too. Now get off, you big lug!" she half-heartedly tried to push the giant muzzle away, while laughing at his antics.

Vallen finally decided to change back into his smaller self and let the miko up. "Ugh, wolf breath." She wrinkled her nose in disgust, but scratched the back of Vallen's ears affectionately.

The guards who had been wary of the intruding beast hovered at a distance behind Vallen. Some had seen their lord bring the miko into the palace, and all of them were equally curious and baffled. Especially after the display they just witnessed.

Umi then appeared with a small tote of travelling supplies and a bow and quiver of arrows. Kagome gratefully took the supplies and strapped the bow and quiver to her back.

"Thank you, Umi, Seri, for your help. You have been very kind. If you are ever around the Holy village in the northeast border of these lands, please drop by. I would love to have some company," Kagome said, giving a respectful bow.

"Pleasure was mine," Seri replied.

"Oh, no need to thank me Lady Kagome," Umi gushed. She wasn't used to one of her lord's guests treating her so well. Kagome rolled her eyes, still smiling. She knew it was probably hopeless to get Umi to address her plainly.

Kagome turned to the transformed Vallen, ready to get on and fly home. She looked down at her constricting kimono, shrugged, and spread the bottom edges to allow her legs to straddle Vallen.

"Lady Kagome!" Umi squeaked, turning red and desperately trying to cover up the miko's exposed legs. The miko had already fluidly gotten on Vallen. Her kimono pooled around her thighs, leaving her slender legs for all to see.

"It's fine, Umi. I can't possibly move around in something like that. Besides, anyone who wades in water, or rice patties has their clothes hiked up about this far too. It's no big deal," Kagome tried to calm the flustered maid down.

"But milady! It is improper for one such as yourself!" Umi protested.

Kagome rolled her eyes again in amused exasperation. "I'm not a lady, so those rules don't apply. See ya Umi!" Vallen launched into the air. Even though his wings were stunted, Kagome had taught him how to use his youki alone to fly. Vallen hovered in the sky above Seri and Umi.

"Bye, everyone! Thanks again!" she cheerily waved. Kagome then sensed Sesshomaru's aura in the doorway. He ended up coming to see her off afterall. She smiled warmly at him, inclined her head, and flew out toward the east.

Sesshomaru had actually been standing there before Umi had arrived. The miko just hadn't noticed his aura until the end. He had noticed the guards gawking at the miko when the stunted winged wolf had recognized her as alpha. And then again when she spread apart her kimono so innocently, yet erotically.

What the miko said was true, but she wasn't a grungy peasant toiling in the fields. Objectively, she was pretty for a human, and had a sophisticated air about her that demanded attention. Not to mention, her scent was clean and pleasing. Thus, it was impossible to think of the miko as a farmer hiking her kimono up for work. The display came off as much more scandalous and enticing. Sesshomaru's conclusion was clearly supported by the heady scent of arousal coming from some of the younger guards. They lacked training, he thought disapprovingly.

Sesshomaru curtly turned away from the retreating form of the miko, intent on forgetting about the troublesome existence. She was obviously too naïve and lacking in survival instincts. He would not take responsibility for such a creature.


	9. Chapter 9

It was barely two weeks out from Kagome's departure from the Western Citadel when she came face to face with Sesshomaru once more. This time, Kagome felt his aura appear seemingly out of thin air near the tree line abutting her house. He even pulsed his youki, a clear sign he sought her attention. It was late. The moon was at its zenith, and Kagome was already in a sleeping yukata. She hurriedly drapped a thicker yukata over her shoulders, and pulled on her bearskin cloak. Kagome jogged outside toward Sesshomaru, with Vallen at her heel.

He was waiting for her by a large oak tree. Clouds shifted, and moonlight illuminated his liquid silver hair, and pearlescent skin. Combined with his white attire, Sesshomaru practically glowed under the moon. Yet, he fit in so beautifully, so perfectly with the setting. Kagome almost felt bad disturbing the ethereal serenity of the picture with her haphazardly dressed self.

However, as she closed the distance, Kagome instantly knew something was wrong. Sesshomaru was tense. His body was held in military straightness, and his jaw was tight. Even though his face and aura was as bland as ever, his eyes burned with intensity.

Kagome had opened her mouth to ask what was wrong when -

"Come, Miko. Bring your medicines and tools," Sesshomaru intoned in a deep baritone.

Sesshomaru's voice exuded no urgency, but Kagome tensed at the implication of what needing her medicine bag meant. Someone was hurt – bad. Without a word, Kagome ran back inside and started packing her surgical kit, herbs, and various other items. Vallen was already transformed when Kagome hoisted her medicine bag and bow onto her back.

Just as she was about to climb onto Vallen, Sesshomaru stopped her.

"No," he simply said, and Kagome stopped in mid motion.

"Huh?" she asked, thoroughly confused.

"Time is of the essence. It is faster to travel with me," Sesshomaru briefly explained. Before Kagome could respond, he grabbed her by the waist with one arm and pulled her to his side. "Go to the Western Citadel," he instructed Vallen, and then transformed into an orb and streaked across the sky.

It was completely disorienting and frightening for Kagome to feel her body dematerialize into a ball of light. She had no arms to cling with, and no eyes to look down. It was like she was nothing but an aura, a soul, stuck against Sesshomaru's own. His aura was so large and warm. It calmed Kagome to know he was right beside her.

As for Sesshomaru, he could sense a lot more in his orb form. He could feel the land, and auras of all the people around him. What surprised him was the aural form of the miko. She was bright, and as large as himself in this non-corporeal state. Her usual blue aura was now so intense it was white, a pure and beautiful white. It twisted and molded around his own red one.

It seems the miko had a soul comparable in size to a near immortal daiyoukai. But she was human, wasn't she?' he thought. How could this be possible?

They landed just inside the castle walls.

"Give me a warning next time would you?" Kagome shrieked after rematerializing. She would have collapsed in a heap if it wasn't for the vise like grip Sesshomaru had on her upper arm.

"What are you?" he said sharply, jerking the miko to her feet.

"Kagome Higurashi," she responded automatically. Sesshomaru tightened his hold and narrowed his eyes.

"Um…a girl? Miko? Human?" she blubbered nervously. Kagome had no idea what Sesshomaru was talking about, and his claws were already drawing blood.

"Stop," Kagome tried unsuccessfully to pry his painful claws from her arm. She winced when her struggling only made it worse.

Sesshomaru finally realized he had been squeezing so hard it was hurting the miko when her blood wafted into his nose. He released suddenly, causing her to stumble a little. It had not been his intention to draw blood, just pressure the frustrating miko for some answers. Humans were so frail.

Her blood smelt sweet and deliciously metallic. It was spiked with purity, and Sesshomaru was almost tempted to lick his claws. The reaction stunned him. He had always abhorred the scent of human blood because of its taints, but the miko's was fragrantly pure. He quickly summoned his poison, burning the blood off his hands with the acrid liquid.

Kagome saw his reaction to getting her human blood on his hands. 'He had to cleanse himself with freaking poison!' she thought with a flare of anger. But it went as quickly as it came, leaving only a dull ache in its stead. Was there no understanding between them? Was friendship truly impossible? Sesshomaru had explicitly told her off. It was her that didn't want to listen.

"Shall we see the patient now?" Kagome quietly said. She hid her sad eyes behind her bangs.

Sesshomaru started walking to the infirmary without another word. He was thoroughly rattled. He was lord, and would not feel guilty for his actions. He was demon, and should not be so at ease with a miko. She was human. He seemed to be reminding himself that fact a lot. So much was already going on, he did not need this miko adding to his problems.

When Kagome walked into the infirmary, all her depressing thoughts fled. Every bed of the long room was occupied by injured soldiers. And the wounds were not normal, she realized as a pile of ash was cleared from a bed so another soldier could be placed on it. They were purification injuries. The loved ones of each soldier hovered around the respective bed in mourning.

"What happened?" she whispered in horror. There were over a hundred soldiers injured and dying. Not waiting for an answer, Kagome jumped into action.

"Seri! I can remove the purification energies. Can you heal them after that?" Kagome called out across the room to the owl demon. Seri's eyes immediately sparked with hope at the mention of a remedy. She had only been able to ease the pain, helplessly watching as soldier after soldier succumbed to the purification energy.

"Yes! Yes, of course!" Seri answered quickly.

"Great, that will help me last longer," Kagome said almost to herself. "Alright, every uninjured person here listen up! Organize these patients in order from most injured to least. Don't move the patients, just write down the bed numbers in that sequence and I will come to them. I have every intention of treating everyone here, so hold on," Kagome then announced to the whole infirmary. The room burst into action at the miko's command. They had little option left but to rely on this strange miko.

Kagome then rushed to the bedside of a soldier she could barely detect the youki of. He would die soon. But the mate of said soldier was already lost to grief. Her red eyes glared at Kagome and she snarled, trying to protect her dying mate.

Kagome stopped her advance. "Please, I want to heal your mate. He will die if I don't," Kagome pleaded with the crazed demoness.

The tiger demoness growled even louder and made a swipe for the miko. Kagome stepped back, right into Sesshomaru's chest. Her eyes darted up in surprise.

Sesshomaru steadied the miko and then stepped in between her and the rabid demoness. He then released his youki, and commanded in demon tongue, "You will listen to your alpha. Stand down." The demoness got the message, growling one more time before backing away from the bed. Kagome nodded her thanks to Sesshomaru and quickly started inspecting the soldier.

He had been slashed deeply across his stomach with some sort of purity imbued weapon. The wound was charred and already flaking off dead chunks of tissue. Kagome manipulated her aura to surround the foreign energy with her own and purify it away. When the first piece of foreign reiki purified, Kagome let out a sigh of relief. If the reiki had been stronger than her own, Kagome's would have been the one purified. This meant she could save all these soldiers.

Most of the foreign reiki around the wound was gone, but there was still some traveling through the soldier's vessels, destroying them. Kagome took a deep breath and forced her own reiki swiftly to fill the soldier without purifying him. The tendrils raced through his body, capturing the foreign wisps. She then pulled all of it out of the demon's body and back into her own, where a flare of her reiki wouldn't hurt the demon. If there wasn't a lot of foreign reiki left, Kagome could use this method and conserve her reiki.

She then checked for any remnants of pure energy she had missed. Finding none, she looked up at Seri, handing the patient off to her, and then expectantly at Umi, who had compiled the list of soldiers. Everyone in the room was shocked into silence. No one had ever seen a miko heal a demon, and especially not such an advanced technique.

Sesshomaru himself had missed much of his own healing, and was equally impressed. The miko glowed entrancingly when she healed. He could sense the huge resevoire of energy the little woman held in her tiny body. It was incredible. It was…terrifying to the average demon. Almost all the able bodied demons in the room had taken a step back from her.

"Lady Miko!" the mate of another soldier sobbed in relief, finally breaking the awkward silence. The general consensus seemed to be acceptance instead of fear – the miko may be terrifying, but she was using her powers for them.

They had all been so wary when their lord returned with a miko of all people to help their significant others. But as usual, their lord had never led them astray. Hope charged the room and everyone gave clearance to the miko as she hurried to the next soldier.

Slashed abdomen, severed limb, smashed ribs, impaled torso…the list went on. Kagome continued like a machine. Despite the severity of the physical wound, the amount of purification energy was miniscule in comparison to the stuff that had been coursing through Sesshomaru when she first found him. Besides, she had Seri and other healers to help with the physical wounds. She only had to get rid of the purification energy. Hence, she was able to keep up the grueling pace.

Dawn broke and Kagome was only half way through all the patients. Although the injuries now were much less severe – cut on the arm, or some other non-vital area. Nonetheless, the demons would be in excruciating pain until she removed the pure energy.

Kagome forced her trembling legs to stand, and almost fell into the family members of the soldier she just healed. Umi caught her.

"Lady Kagome, you should rest," Umi said in concern. Kagome shook her head weakly. "I'm not done yet," she said, trying to wink at Umi. "Just help me over to the next bed."

Suddenly, Kagome was lifted from the ground. Sesshomaru was cradling her gently in his arms and walking out the infirmary.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Kagome exclaimed.

"You are in no condition to heal anymore. The remaining injuries can wait," Sesshomaru firmly said, without even looking down at the miko. He brought her into his own bed chamber and set her down on the bed.

"Sleep," he commanded. Kagome opened her mouth to protest. "Now," Sesshomaru cut her off. There was no room for argument in that tone. Kagome was too weak to put up a fight, and honestly…the bed felt _sooo _good.

"Wake me in an hour," Kagome murmured before falling into a deep sleep.

Kagome stirred when the bright beams of sunlight hit her closed eyes. Gods she was so exhausted. Why hadn't she closed the curtains? Kagome thought, obviously still half asleep. Bright sun…injured soldiers…Kagome jerked up in bed. She scrambled clumsily to the window. Dammit it had to be at least noon.

Kagome washed her face, slipped on a pair of elaborately embroidered slippers and raced toward the infirmary. It wasn't hard to find given that half the auras in the castle were concentrated there.

She turned a corner and ran head first into Sesshomaru. Kagome fell back. He didn't even budge, but caught her before she could hit the ground. "Sesshomaru! Why didn't you wake me up?" Kagome bellowed.

Sesshomaru internally winced at the volume of her voice. "Cease your yelling, woman," he said.

"I will not until you answer me, buddy!" she raised her voice even louder.

Sesshomaru didn't understand why the infernal woman was so upset. She should have been grateful for the rest. He had only been looking out for her wellbeing. "You required rest. This Sesshomaru saw to that."

"An hour would have been enough. You had no right to decide that on your own. Those are MY patients!" Kagome retaliated.

Sesshomaru's impassive mask crumbled. How dare she challenge him? "And those are MY soldiers. Do not question me," he bit back in a quiet, but dangerous tone.

"That doesn't matter. What if they died when I could have prevented it?" Kagome argued.

"Their lives were not in danger," Sesshomaru retorted.

"But they would have been in horrible pain this whole time!" Kagome wanted to burst into tears just thinking about it.

"They are demons. We are not affected by such as you humans are," Sesshomaru sneered.

Kagome snorted. "You are incorrigible. How can you say that when they are writhing on the bed in pain? Don't answer that. I'm not wasting any more of my time with a heartless demon like you," she dismissed and hurried into the infirmary.

Sesshomaru wanted to strangle the infuriating miko. She challenged him, dismissed him, and had absurdly soft ideals. Her emotions were bare for anyone to see. She was everything he found weak. Yet she brazenly faced him, the strongest demon of all the lands.

Sesshomaru released his oppressive youki . The entire castle froze in terror. Even the moaning of the injured had ceased.

Kagome's own aura flared up reflexively. His aura was huge! She could barely breathe under its weight. Kagome tried to draw out even more reiki to fight back his suffocating youki. But she could never draw out that much and control it at the same time. Sesshomaru's aura crushed hers and Kagome could barely stay standing.

He then withdrew suddenly and disappeared, probably to kill some innocent creature in the forest. The castle collectively blew a sigh of relief. Their lord was not one to be trifled with. The miko was insane.

"Hey wench!" Inuyasha called to her. He had witnessed his cold bastard brother getting chewed out by a little _human _girl. He didn't miss how the girl bothered Sesshomaru enough to cause him to drop the third person. And the woman was still alive. He liked her already.

Kagome turned her turbulent, fiery blue eyes at Inuyasha. Here was another pompous ass who thought he could just call her names.

Inuyasha flattened his ears and took a step back. Damn she was scary. He couldn't believe he was actually pondering who was scarier, the wench or his brother.

"You are one crazy woman you know that?" he gave her a crooked smile, trying to ease the tension.

"Who are you? Are you related to that icicle?" Kagome asked. She wasn't exactly in the mood for light conversation. Although, the hanyou's ears were rather adorable.

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted in disgust at being compared to Sesshomaru. "Yeah, Lord Stick-Up-His-Ass is my half-brother. I'm Inuyasha."

"I'm Kagome," she introduced. Inuyasha was so different from his brother, so much more open. He was crude, but Kagome could tell he wasn't a bad person. Too bad he was related to that cold demon lord.

Kagome was still fuming inside, but decided to channel that extra energy into healing. She was blazing blue when she sat down to heal the next soldier. The patient looked like a petrified deer. He wasn't sure if the miko wouldn't purify him in her anger instead of heal him.

Kagome healed the next few soldiers in record speed. The injuries weren't as serious and she had adrenaline to spare. Inuyasha would occasionally talk to her or hover by her back. She could see herself becoming fast friends with him once this fiasco was over. It was a little before dinner time when she finished healing all the patients.

She lumbered over to a couch to rest. There was no way she'd make it to a bed. Her muscles were tense and sore from channeling so much energy for so long. She was so drained after so much consecutive healing that her vision swam. Kagome closed her eyes.

Sesshomaru came back at dinner time to find the miko passed out on the small couch, and all the soldiers healed. He wrestled with the conflicting feelings he had about the situation.

"That girl is no ordinary miko," Seri interrupted his thoughts.

Sesshomaru glanced over to the tired owl demon. All the healers and assistants were beat. Kagome had set a grueling pace. Seri and the other healers could barely keep up.

Sesshomaru didn't reply, but silently agreed with Seri. Kagome was a gifted healer. She was weak, yet strong. The miko was a paradox.

"Stupid wench," Inuyasha muttered when he saw the slumbering miko, but there was no bite to the words. He walked over and gently picked her up, making sure he didn't wake her. 'Not like anything short of a hurricane could wake up the girl right now,' he thought.

"Umi! Where's her room?" Inuyasha roughly demanded. The girl was so defenseless and vulnerable in this state. He carefully carried her away like some precious glass masterpiece.

Sesshomaru watched the whole interaction. Inuyasha had saved him the trouble of moving the miko. Yet why was he so inexplicably irritated by the action. Her hair was loose, and she was in a sleeping yukata and formal shoes – completely mismatched. She was so innocently unaware. Just like the first time they met and she had fallen asleep with a strange demon in her home. Kagome elicited the protective instincts Sesshomaru buried deep inside him. Sesshomaru determinedly faced away from Inuyasha as he walked away with the miko. His face was as impassive as ever.

"Lady Kagome would make a nice addition to the infirmary. Her skills are impeccable…besides, these old bones could use some extra help, especially in this time of unrest..." Seri quietly suggested to Sesshomaru. Seri could tell the girl would be a good influence on Sesshomaru. She just had to convince the stubborn pup to keep her. Gods this might take awhile.

"Hm," he replied noncommittally and left.

The next morning, Kagome was still weak, but a long soak in the hot spring had done wonders to her spirit. She was again dressed in a beautiful kimono and pampered until she had to run away. Now that she was well rested, Kagome thought back on the events of the last two days.

She flushed red with shame every time she remembered her last words to Sesshomaru. In retrospect, Kagome realized he had only been looking out for her in the only way he apparently knew how – by taking matters into his own hands. Given how his mere presence demanded obedience from all around him, could she really blame him? She had overreacted.

Kagome spread out her aura, trying to locate Sesshomaru. It wasn't hard. Even repressed, it was larger than any other youki she had ever encountered. Besides, the characteristic of his youki was ironically comparable to the blaze of an unrelenting sun. After many dead ends and wrong turns, Kagome finally reached Sesshomaru's study.

"Enter," came the familiar smooth baritone.

"Hi Sesshomaru!" she called in forced cheeriness. He silently regarded her. The atmosphere was unbearably awkward.

Dropping the pretense, Kagome decided to plunge right into it. "Look, I'm…I was wrong. I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was just worried about the patients, but…Thank you for taking care of me. You aren't heartless. Just…try to understand it from my point of view too. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if one had died while I slept," she honestly apologized, looking directly into Sesshomaru's frozen honey orbs.

A tense moment later, Sesshomaru nodded his acceptance. Even if he didn't know why the miko was so concerned about strangers, he could understand the responsibility that came along with it.

Kagome relaxed and broke into a real smile this time. "So, what happened exactly to all those soldiers?" she casually asked.

Sesshomaru stiffened slightly. His affairs were his own. Although, the miko did have a right to know considering she had healed them all without question. Given that those were purification injuries, they could have been fighting monks and mikos – her kind.

Kagome observantly detected the slight tightening of his muscles. Sighing, she said, "Would you cut that out?"

"To what do you refer?" Sesshomaru impassively replied.

"That," Kagome pointed to Sesshomaru's face. "Stop raising your guard like that every time I ask you a question."

Sesshomaru carefully kept his stony mask in place. Was he slipping? No, even Seri and Inuyasha couldn't tell. The miko really did have an uncanny ability to read him.

Kagome rolled her eyes when she saw his icy eyes freeze even more. "If you haven't noticed yet, I don't inherently dislike demons, and I'm not much of a threat to you. I don't belong to any crazy organization. I'm…alone," Kagome ended more somberly than she would have liked. She didn't like to dwell on her outcast status and strangeness that made her stick out where ever she went.

It was true. Sesshomaru could practically taste the truth in her scent. Something about that last phrase struck a chord in his unwilling soul. "They were attacked. The first demon you had healed was Jura, my general. I sent him with a battalion of my troops to quell the unrest in the Northern border. I have gathered enough to make conclusions, but I await his recovery to receive a full report," he reciprocated, dropping the formalities. "How are you able to heal demons? I have never heard of such techniques."

"It's possible. Once I memorize your youki signature, I can adjust my energies to resonate with it instead of attack it. That way, my reiki doesn't hurt you. Once you understand the theory, you just need practice to implement it. Since I have Vallen, I've had my share of practice. He can get himself into a mess sometimes, so I've learned to do some of the harder stuff too."

"Hm. Why were you able to heal over fifty soldiers in one sitting, while you were drained after healing only myself?"

"Ah," Kagome struggled to put her actions to words. "It's different. You had so much purification energy coursing through you already. Any normal demon would have been purified upon contact. There was too much foreign energy to draw it out and purify it like I had with the soldiers. I had to purify it while still inside you. It's a lot harder to do that without hurting you in the process. Takes a lot more energy to surround the foreign one and seal it within my own. It's like….setting off an explosion within a completely sealed metal box. If the metal isn't strong enough, the explosion will blow through the box and harm the things outside. And I needed a stronger explosion so to speak to purify the large quantity of foreign reiki in you, so I needed a stronger metal box, or protective reiki to shield you from the blow. Basically, you were a tough one. What I did on you was really rather experimental, but you would have died if I didn't try anything so it was worth a shot…"

As Kagome rambled on, Sesshomaru was increasingly more impressed with what the miko was capable of. With proper training, she would be a formidable opponent. He would have to keep an eye on her.

"Not to mention your youki was almost nonexistent so I had to be extra careful, and the foreign reiki was much stronger than what I found in the soldiers. The stuff in the soldiers was so weak, almost like it didn't come from a miko…" Kagome abruptly fell silent as she had the epiphany.

Eyes widening, she said, "The soldiers weren't attacked by spiritual beings were they. At least not directly. If a miko had charged a sword with reiki and fought with it, very few of those demons would have survived the injuries. "

Sesshomaru focused his intense gaze on Kagome. "Correct, Miko. The weapons were imbued with holy power, but not wielded by spiritual beings. Do you know how this is possible?" he carefully asked.

"Well, any ordinary human could pick up a reiki charged weapon…" Kagome's brow furrowed in confusion. "…but trained demons would never succumb to an attack by ordinary humans, reiki weapons or not. They'd be too fast for a human soldier to even land a hit."

The miko was smart. Sesshomaru waited for Kagome to make the connection.

"Reiki weapons wielded by _demons_? But how?" Kagome murmured.

"That is the question," Sesshomaru confirmed.

Kagome fell silent, deep in thought.

A knock sounded then. "Lord Sesshomaru, General Jura is awake. He is sufficiently recovered to speak with you," Jaken announced.

"Summon Jura and Inuyasha to my study," Sesshomaru instructed. Kagome got up to follow Jaken out.

"No. You stay," Sesshomaru stopped Kagome. Confused, Kagome settled back into the chair.

"Yo wench, it's about time you woke up," Inuyasha said, strutting into the room. "Your lazy ass has been in bed forever." Kagome's eyebrow ticked in irritation. The hanyou had repeatedly been calling her names. She had been too preoccupied and tired last time to retaliate, but no more.

"Is it genetic, or do you dog demons just not have any manners?" Kagome rose from her chair and faced off with Inuyasha. "My name is Kagome! KA-GO-ME! I'm not a wench, nor a whole species subset," she glared at Sesshomaru for the last part. "Call me wench one more time, and I'll purify those fuzzy ears right from your head! Now SIT down!" Kagome had to admit, her name was a bit of a pet peeve for her.

Inuyasha dropped into the couch behind him out of reflex and flattened his ears. Sesshomaru didn't try to hide the amused glint in his eyes. Seeing his brother reprimanded by a girl was thoroughly enjoyable.

"Keh!" Inuyasha said, trying to appear unaffected by the girl's wrath.

General Jura made a timely entry then. He gingerly walked over and eased himself into the couch next to Inuyasha.

"I can't believe you're walking. How are you feeling?" Kagome asked with concern.

Jura darted his eyes to Lord Sesshomaru. One did not dally on such trivial things in the presence of Lord Sesshomaru. He nervously responded, "I am fine, Lady Miko. I am ready to give my report, Lord Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru gave a slight nod.

"The battalion sent to the Northeastern border was attacked at night fall two days prior by a band of demons possessing purification weapons. It was a well-structured ambush of around 300 demons, a hundred more than my own. They knew we were coming and had dug trenches to hide from. The demons were varied, and without uniform. Possibly mercenaries. The weapons also ranged from arrows to swords and daggers. I had tried to use one such weapon, but was repelled by a barrier. We were at a disadvantage, but had they not had those weapons, we would have stood a chance. Backup was signaled for as soon as the ambush began. Lord Inuyasha arrived in time to save over half of the troops by focusing on a swift pull out instead of engaging the enemy. The enemies did not pursue," Jura reported, and bent his head down in shame for his defeat.

"Something didn't feel right. Those demons were too damn coordinated to be mercenaries. I don't know what the hell the new Northern lord is thinking. But their scouts were good, too good if they could track Jura's battalion and predict the destination," Inuyasha chimed in.

Kagome was impressed. Inuyasha was crude and socially inept, but he had good battle sense, and was more intelligent than he seemed.

"The scouts later sent in reported the battlefield void of any such weapons or bodies of fallen enemies. No tracks or trail existed. The place had been cleaned within an hour of the battle," Sesshomaru informed based on the reports he received.

"General Jura, what kind of barrier did you encounter on the weapon?" Kagome boldly asked.

Jura waited for Sesshomaru's permission before answering. The miko was not one of them, and usually would not be privy to such information. "It was some sort of spell. I did not sense pure energy."

"Did the barrier encompass the whole weapon," Kagome continued.

"No, just the grip of the sword," Jura replied, not sure where this was going.

However Sesshomaru quickly caught on to Kagome's logic.

"Did anyone aside from yourself try to relieve the enemy of their weapon and use it against them? Did anyone else try to touch one?" Kagome pressed.

"I…I'm unsure. The battle was fierce and I had not thought to look," Jura admitted.

"What about the sheath of the sword? Any pure energy there?" Kagome kept her rapid fire questions.

"No, only the sword," Jura was getting more and more uncomfortable with the interrogation.

"Dammit, wench. Stop yapping and tell us what you're getting at," Inuyasha impatiently demanded.

Kagome glared at Inuyasha, but didn't comment about the name calling. There were obviously more serious issues to address. "I do not know demon conflicts and politics, so I cannot help there. However, I do have a theory about how the purification weapons work. Demons and their magic are ineffective against pure energy. There must be some part of that weapon that is either not imbued with purification, or redirected so the demon does not come into contact with the pure energy," Kagome explained.

Jura and Inuyasha slowly digested the information, not quite grasping the connection to her questions.

"Jura, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru directed, "Interrogate all the soldiers to find any who tried to use a purification weapon. Investigate what type of weapon, where they attempted to grasp it, and what type of barrier or resistance was encountered."

Kagome looked appreciatively at Sesshomaru. He truly lived up to his title. Sesshomaru knew exactly what she was getting at. "Yes. I'm looking for whether the handles of the weapons have any purification energy, or if there is some sort of mechanism channeling the purification to bypass points of contact for the wielder. There must be some neutral ground."

Understanding dawned in their eyes. This miko did not think like a typical female. They hurried out to follow Sesshomaru's orders.

Once they left, Sesshomaru turned his attention to Kagome. She was quickly becoming a valuable ally. "You are educated?" he asked for confirmation. He remembered she was literate.

Kagome nodded, unsure about what she was supposed to do now. "Other than miko training, we are educated in literature, math, and arts."

"Hm," Sesshomaru responded. He considered her uses. This was a rare opportunity he would not miss. Dropping a bag of gold coins onto the desk, he said, "You will research how the purification weapons are made, and defenses against them."

"You should try asking instead of ordering sometime," Kagome dryly commented. She then pushed the coins away.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. Was his payment not enough?

"Um. Instead of this, could I ask for something else?" Kagome nervously said. Her eyes shifted downward sheepishly.

"Name your price, Miko. This Sesshomaru will determine if it is acceptable," he said coldly.

"Could I learn some healing arts from Seri? She said I was welcome last time," Kagome hurried out. She looked at Sesshomaru with pleading hopeful eyes.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "Hm." He had been calculating just how much he was willing to pay the miko – enough to live off of for the rest of her human life – if she could truly replicate the weapon and create a shield against it. Yet Kagome did not ask for material goods. She had wasted her 'favor' on something that would have occurred anyway as long as she stayed at the palace to conduct the research. The miko was a fool.

The simple request bothered Sesshomaru more than if she had just asked for a mountain of jewels, like a typical human. But she wasn't a normal human.

"You will begin your research tomorrow. This Sesshomaru expects daily reports of your progress," he impassively said. He looked back down at the scroll and dismissed the girl.

Kagome grinned widely. "Yes, sir!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet and rushing out. This meant for the remainder of the day, she could spend her time with Seri.

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her antics.


	10. Chapter 10

Over the next week, Kagome experimented on ways to recreate the purification weapons, and learn demon herbs and potions in between with Seri. She had even recruited Inuyasha to help her.

The information gathered by Inuyasha and Jura pointed to some neutral medium around handling areas. The barrier was a totally separate matter later implemented by a demon sorcerer.

"C'mon Inuyasha, I swear this time I got it right," Kagome pleaded.

"Nuh uh! That's what you said the last time and I almost got my bangs singed off!" Inuyasha protested. Kagome had been making test weapons and asking Inuyasha to use them to see how the weapon reacted to youki. At first, she couldn't stop the reiki in the blade from bleeding into the handle. Once she managed to stop that with a thin barrier at the edge, she had offered it to Inuyasha to try.

However the reiki flared in response to the close proximity of youki and practically blew up in Inuyasha's hand. He had smelled like burnt hair for the rest of the day. Even her human nose could pick it up. Sesshomaru had come to investigate the ruckus, and actually snorted at the sight. It was as close to a laugh as she had seen with the stuffy demon lord. Kagome giggled just remembering.

"Please Inuyasha," Kagome looked at him with big blue puppy dog eyes.

Dammit the woman was being unfair, Inuyasha angrily thought. He couldn't refuse that look. And why was a human so damn good at making that expression anyways? "Keh!" he responded. It was his way of reluctantly agreeing.

Kagome clapped her hands in glee and offered him the sword.

Inuyasha growled at the sword, as if it was some poisonous snake he could scare away. But the inanimate object didn't move. Hesitantly he grasped the sword, holding it as far away from his body as possible. He had his head turned away this time, preparing for the painful jolt of purity.

However it never came. Inuyasha opened his eyes and lifted the sword, straightening his body to a more dignified pose. Still nothing. "Kagome…" he called out softly.

"Yes, I see it Inuyasha," she said with bated breath as well.

Then, Inuyasha swung the sword in a graceful arc down at the ground. No explosion. Instead, the energy in the blade displaced the dirt, making a perfect slit.

Next, Inuyasha summoned some of his youki and tried to channel it through the blade as he would with Tetseiga. It was instantly purified upon contact with the reiki, but there was no flare up or backlash.

"Not bad, wench," Inuyasha smirked at her. He still called her wench just to get her riled up, but he knew to call her by name if it was anything serious.

"Yes!" Kagome cheered. "See, I told you it would work!"

"I gotta test this on Lord Ice Prick," Inuyasha enthusiastically darted off toward Sesshomaru's study.

Sesshomaru heard his dear brother stampeding down the hall and calmly set his quill down. He cracked his joints and stretched his muscles in an undignified way, returning to his lordly pose as the door banged open.

"Heads up Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha hollered.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru intoned with disdain. "You will desist such actions within this study." Of course he didn't listen, making a swipe where Sesshomaru's neck used to be. He had narrowly missed the leather chair.

Sesshomaru grabbed Inuyasha by the neck and threw him out the window. He quickly followed, claws elongated. Inuyasha got up just in time to block with his sword. Sesshomaru disengaged as soon as his claws met the purity charged blade. He stared at his smoking claws emotionlessly.

"It seems the miko has succeeded," Sesshomaru stated.

"That's right, and you can be the first bastard I try it out on," Inuyasha declared, teeming with excitement. Sesshomaru too was interested in seeing how strong the reiki blade was.

Kagome had followed the clanging and crashing out to the dojo. She stared at the two hot blooded males and sighed. No point stopping them now. The reiki blade was holding up remarkably well. It neutralized the youki emitted by Sesshomaru's bakusaiga so the reiki sword didn't break.

However the triumph was short lived. Sesshomaru flexed his youki, and the reiki was quickly overcome. The blade broke, and Inuyasha was once again at Sesshomaru's mercy.

"Did you guys have to break the thing?" Kagome huffed. She bent down and examined the broken sword. "I can charge the sword up with more reiki so that it can stand up longer against all that youki, but there is a limit to how much it can hold," Kagome explained.

Inuyasha looked over her shoulder curiously. Dog demons really were curious by nature.

However, Kagome was lost in her own musings. She got up and went to touch bakusaiga.

Sesshomaru immediately withdrew and sheathed the sword. "Do not be careless, Miko. You would disintegrate upon contact of This Sesshomaru's fang."

Kagome blinked blankly at him, refocusing on his words instead of her racing ideas. "Oh. I could probably touch it if I just channeled reiki. But you're right. I'd rather not test that. How much youki can that fang hold?"

"It is This Sesshomaru's fang, and thus can channel the full extent of youki," Sesshomaru arrogantly said.

"Is it possible to eliminate all traces of youki from it so it can be an empty vessel?" Kagome asked.

Sesshomaru understood the implications. Kagome wanted to use a fang as base material for the reiki weapons in order to charge it with more reiki. The weapon would truly be formidable if that were the case. "Theoretically, it is plausible. This Sesshomaru will call upon Toutosai, the swordsmith, to assist you." He then turned to leave.

"Wait! Could I have a fang to test on?" Kagome brazenly asked. Inuyasha choked on his own tongue trying to get out a caustic comment about her lack of intelligence.

Sesshomaru glared at the miko over his shoulder. She obviously had no knowledge of how improper it was to ask such a personal item from his person. His fang was powerful, and could be used against him in the wrong hands. It implied the utmost trust and honor to bequeath such a thing to someone. To give such as an alpha was to accept that person as pack.

"You lack knowledge of demon customs, Miko. Have Seri educate you. This Sesshomaru will procure you the fang of another demon to use," he impassively responded.

Inuyasha downright fell over at Sesshomaru's answer. He had been expecting Sesshomaru to cut out Kagome's tongue for such insolence. Yet all he did was gently chide her and offer to give another less meaningful fang? When was his cold brother ever this lenient? Intentional or not, Sesshomaru should have at least maimed the person.

"Oh. Sorry if I offended you, Sesshomaru," Kagome flushed with embarrassment. "Thanks for your help! …Though, try not to kill any innocents for the fang please?" She was only half teasing about the last part.

"Hm," Sesshomaru noncommittally responded. Kagome smiled, interpreting his response as agreement.

The whole surreal interaction was a little too much for Inuyasha's mind to handle. He decided forgetting about it was best for his health.

Later that day, Kagome began learning a few things about demon customs in addition to the medicinal techniques she usually sought out Seri for. In retrospect, she was surprised Sesshomaru hadn't lopped off her head for suggesting such a thing. Seri had laughed herself into a stitch.

"Oh would you shut up already and give me a few scrolls on demon customs and mannerisms?" Kagome said, still red.

Chuckling, Seri answered, "It's a lot more entertaining without such knowledge. However, it would probably be best for you to learn the basics." She then handed the miko a particularly thick scroll. "If you know everything in here, you'd know enough to attend royal proceedings without fumbling."

Kagome's eyes were met with tiny, tightly packed characters. She sighed at the daunting task. No one said it'd be easy. High level demons were particularly fussy about etiquette it seemed. "Thanks, Seri. This will take forever, but I'll try."

Her time at the Western Citadel was quickly becoming routine. In the morning, she would work on reiki weapons and shields with Inuyasha and Toutosai. By afternoon, Kagome would practice medicine and help out in the infirmary with Seri. Sesshomaru was always present for dinner. She would report her progress informally then. The evenings were her own.

Vallen and Areta were housed in a large stable. She made sure to visit them at least twice a day. Areta was growing fast, and it wouldn't be long before she gave birth. Kagome couldn't wait to see the little furry wonders.

At first, she had brought little treats for just Vallen and Areta, but in the cubicle right next to them housed a two headed dragon that had weaseled its way into her favor as well. The dragon was called Ah-Un she had heard from Inuyasha. He had hissed at her the first few times she had come, but eventually, the dragon got used to her presence. Lately, he had made a habit of blowing hot air at her hair to get her attention. The big lug was lonely too.

It had been over two weeks now, and tonight Kagome decided to pack a few fruits and vegetables to see what Ah-Un liked. Her bag was heavy with meat treats, carrots, apples, and pears, compliments to Umi. The skittish maid was finally opening up and relaxing around her.

"Hey Val, Areta," Kagome softly called. Ah-Un reared their heads up and snorted. "Hello to you too, Ah-Un." Vallen was already rummaging in her bag for the meats. He was so cute presenting them to Areta, as if he were the one who got them for her. But Kagome had to give him a few points for resisting eating until Areta had her fill. Once Kagome was familiarized with her winged wolves, she turned to Ah-Un.

"Hi buddy. I didn't forget about you," Kagome cooed. She then held up a carrot. "Do you like carrots? Don't bite me okay?" She slowly inched her hand toward Ah-Un. Ah, the nicer of the two heads, leaned in and plucked the carrot right from her hand. Un breathed a bit of fire into Ah for his ready acceptance. They hissed and squabbled for a while before calming down.

"Would you like one too Un?" Kagome tried to befriend the other head. It snorted haughtily at the gift. "Hmph, you remind me of a certain arrogant demon lord," Kagome admonished. "Okay how about an apple?"

As soon as Kagome took out the apple, Un turned to face her, staring unblinkingly at the apple. "You like apples huh. Don't be mean now. Nice and easy," Kagome coaxed as she neared the more aggressive head.

Apparently, things were going too slow for Ah, and he swooped in and swallowed the apple. Un immediately roared and bit down on Ah's neck.

"Stop fighting you two! Ah! That was very mean. That apple was for Un." Kagome quickly took out another apple. "Here, Un," she offered, much less wary of the fire-breathing dragon. Un let go of Ah and looked right into Kagome's eyes. A few seconds later, he took the apple from her hand, without biting off any fingers.

Kagome smiled and took out a few more treats, feeding the heads in turn. They were practically purring in her hands by the end of it. Kagome giggled. "You're just a big softie, aren't you?" she said, petting the two docile heads.

"What are you doing to my steed, Miko," Sesshomaru apathetically said.

Kagome whirled around to the entrance of the stable. She hadn't even noticed he had been there. 'Damn, I really do need to work on my aura detection,' Kagome thought to herself.

"Hi Sesshomaru. I was just getting to know Ah-Un a little better. I didn't realize he was your...horse?...steed," she squeaked. The demon lord really was too silent.

Sesshomaru regarded the miko petting his dragon. Ah-Un was usually pretty wary of others. The miko had a way with demons as usual.

"Why are you here?" Kagome asked curiously.

"This Sesshomaru owns this stable, and goes as he pleases." He then walked over and took out Ah-Un.

"So you do take him out. I was wondering if anyone came around to take him on rides," Kagome commented, happy that the cooped up dragon would get some fresh air.

"This Sesshomaru takes the dragon to patrols on occasion." He would not have the miko suggesting he neglected his mount.

Kagome brightened. "Do you mind if I come? I've been wanting to visit the village and let Kaede, my teacher, know where I ran off to."

The miko had really stopped fearing him ever since coming to the castle. Having her come and see him slaughtering beings may not be a bad thing. "Do as you wish," he simply answered.

Kagome scrambled to erect a big barrier around the stable for Areta, and prepared Vallen for flight. She caught up to Sesshomaru as Ah-Un launched into the sky. Kagome breathed in deeply and gazed up at the stars. "It's been too long since I've done this," she murmured.

The night was beautiful. The temperature was finally reflecting the first signs of spring, and the skies were clear. A sea of stars and a crescent moon glittered back at her. She turned to stare at Sesshomaru's billowing white form. His silvery locks flowed entrancingly behind him. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch the silky strands. Would they feel as soft as they looked?

It was so peaceful. A comfortable silence had settled between the pair. Sesshomaru was also enjoying the brief reprieve from all the paperwork. He had just taken a sleep cycle the night before. The whole day, he had kept himself busy to forget the lingering effects of his nightmares. A calm night fly was just what he needed.

This time Kagome knew for sure. Sesshomaru was relaxed. Gone were the stiff muscles and rigid set of his jaw. The mighty Lord Sesshomaru wasn't tireless. He got wound up every time he cooped himself up in that study. She rarely saw him anywhere else. How often did he sleep anyways?

Sesshomaru and Ah-Un suddenly dipped down. They landed very close to her house at the Holy Village. Looks like he was listening to her request about going to the village.

"I'll be right back," Kagome smiled gratefully at the stoic demon lord.

It was a few hours after dinner and the village was still bustling with energy. A few of the mikos had noticed Sesshomaru's presence and were standing on guard in the village. He didn't advance, and the mikos didn't pursue. However, Kagome could practically cut the tension in the air. She ran toward Kaede's. The sooner she finished, the less likely a fight would ensue.

Before Kagome reached the door, Kaede burst from the house. "Child, ye have a lot of explaining to do!" she scolded.

Kagome looked at Kaede apologetically and proceeded to explain the basics. She left out details like what exactly she was helping the Western Demon Lord with, or how the attack prompting her visit had holy power involved. It just didn't feel right divulging such things. Almost like a betrayal of Sesshomaru's trust in her? She didn't know why. So instead, Kagome focused on her mentorship with Seri.

"I'm glad ye able to further ye studies. Do what ye must, but don't forget about this old woman," Kaede said with grandmotherly affection. She knew not to press the girl for the whole truth. Kagome was growing up.

"Of course I won't! You're the only family I have left. I'll probably be back within the month," Kagome reassured. For some reason, the prospect of returning to the village didn't bring the pang of longing she expected. In fact, she felt a sort of indescribable disappointment at the thought of leaving the castle. She quickly pushed the thought away and bid her goodbyes to her surrogate grandmother.

Kagome avoided the glares coming from the mikos standing on vigil. She was happy Sesshomaru had listened and even escorted her back to the village. But his presence really wasn't helping her already doomed reputation. The village would really hate her now.

Monks and mikos were actually encouraged to join in this village because the offspring produced would most likely have spiritual powers as well. Kagome was infamous for her powerful aura, but no man had approached her or Kaede to ask for her hand. She had been bothered by the lack of interest as a fresh 15 year old when all others had gotten betrothed. But she got over it by convincing herself it was the village's loss.

Besides, after being exposed to all the attractive humanoid demons (neighboring village of bear demons, and Kouga's wolf tribe in the East), human men didn't interest her that much anyway. It still didn't change the facts. She was undesirable. Unwanted.

Kouga was the only one that showed any interest, but he was too overbearing and not really that serious. They had met when she was 17. The wolf prince was young, and had the audacity to attack the village on the Western Land. Kagome had put a stop to it by literally pinning Koga's tail down with a regular arrow. She didn't want to kill anyone, especially the more sentient demons, if she didn't have to.

Kouga was immediately infatuated because she was the first one able to stop him in his tracks so to speak. He swore off eating humans and proclaimed his love for her. Kagome knew love doesn't just happen like that, and so she just ignored him. His incessant claiming of her as "his woman" both annoyed and endeared the wolf demon to her. He was sweet, but too over the top for her. She gently refused his claim, but he still called her that for kicks. He wasn't a bad friend to have around to do something wild and crazy with. And she adored his pack.

Kagome turned her thoughts away from her disastrous reputation and nonexistent love life. She jogged up the hill to where Sesshomaru waited for her. "Thank you," she bowed to him.

Sesshomaru turned and walked into the forest with Ah-Un trailing behind him. Kagome fell in step next to Ah-Un and Vallen. The silence wasn't so comfortable this time.

So Kagome began chattering away about everything and nothing – how fascinating demon medicine was, how perfect the night was, how beautiful the forest was.

"Did you know there was a small lake just south of here? It has the most amazing view. The evergreens must be ancient. But there's this one large oak tree that you can climb and overlook the entire lake, and even catch glimpses of the village. Shippo and I used to go there all the time. We named it Goshinboku because it's so old and big – like it watches over everything." Kagome's wistful smile faded. She hadn't been there since Shippo died. In fact, they were right in front of Goshinboku when he was killed.

Sesshomaru stopped walking when Kagome's light chatter didn't reach his ears. He had been semi-listening to the animated, yet soothing tones of her voice. It was not unpleasant company despite the mundane and useless topics. Sesshomaru had grown used to the stream of consciousness when she suddenly stopped. What had she been talking about? Shippo…Goshinboku.

"What ails you, Miko?" Sesshomaru asked without turning around. He could scent the unshed tears without seeing them. He didn't care, but the girl had a way of piquing his curiosity.

Meanwhile, Kagome didn't know why she had even talked about Shippo or the tree. It was a topic even Kaede did not bring up in her presence. Strictly taboo. Yet here she was blabbing about it to the one person in the world who couldn't have cared less. On the bright side, he would probably forget her little sob story by night's end. Besides, it was a little late to regret her actions now.

"Shippo was an orphaned fox demon of around nine years old. We found each other at Goshinboku a few months after my parents died. I was eleven and inconsolable. Really pathetic. He knew what I was going through, being an orphan himself. So we became best friends. But I wasn't much of a friend. Shippo-" Kagome's voice hitched.

"He died because of me. Captured in front of Goshinboku by the mikos in the village. He was purified right before my eyes. And I was so weak. I couldn't do anything but watch. My powers didn't awaken until after he was killed. What use is this power when it failed me when I needed it most?" Kagome bitterly ended. She waited for Sesshomaru to blame her, or comment on her worthlessness. Maybe he hadn't been listening at all.

They continued to travel through the dark forest. Just when Kagome thought Sesshomaru wasn't listening, he said, "It is only natural to succumb to one stronger than yourself. Power will prevent such repeats of the past."

Kagome hadn't expected that answer. Her face was scrunched in incredulous shock. "A-Are you cheering me up?"

Sesshomaru glared at her. "Don't flatter yourself. This Sesshomaru was merely stating truths," he scoffed.

How ironic that the words she wanted and needed to hear most came from such a cold demon. Yet it meant so much more to Kagome coming from him because she knew Sesshomaru would spare no one's feelings. She wanted to thank him, but she couldn't trust her voice just then.

"How did you lose your parents," Sesshomaru emotionlessly asked. He wasn't sure why he was prying. Her story explained a lot about her affinity for demons. Her hidden past seemed to unravel the mysteries of her character presently, and Sesshomaru couldn't resist.

Kagome was startled he cared enough to ask. Figured he would pick up on a part she had purposefully glazed over. Relenting, she continued, "My parents were targeted by the village chief. There were two schools of belief. My parents believed in coexistence with demons. However, they were the minority. I don't know exactly what happened, but they had gone to make an alliance with the demon lord of the west." She met Sesshomaru's intense gaze.

"Instead, they ended up battling hundreds of low level demons. Three days. They lasted three days before succumbing to the continuous onslaught on the fourth. The village didn't send help. There weren't even remains to bury," Kagome quietly ended.

It was asinine to hear his name tarnished with such dishonorable deeds. The next thought threatened to raise all his icy barriers – the ones the miko had started to chip and crack. "You believe This Sesshomaru to be the root of such a deed?" he coldly asked. His eyes held no softness, no warmth. Frozen suns.

He would kill the miko if she answered yes. It would make sense. Her willingness to help him and get close to him would all be explained by this vengeful motive. Could she be so skilled as to fake her innocence that well? He would strike her down for such a deception.

"At first, yes. I was blinded by grief and blamed you, the village, myself. But after that, I started listening to my brain again, and paying attention to the world around me." Kagome gave an empty laugh. "It was stupid to think a mighty demon lord such as yourself would have to send countless low level demons. You would have just sent a skilled assassin and be done with it. No tricks, no ambush. In fact, my parents were too insignificant for you to take notice in the first place, no?"

"Hm." The miko was smart. He had been rather quick to draw conclusions. So many parts of his paranoid scenario did not make sense. Besides, no one could fool his senses and instincts.

"No. It was the villagers all along. They set it up somehow. But that's the past," Kagome attempted to bury the bad memories. Then, realization struck her. "Hey! You thought I was planning something to get my revenge on you!" She stuck out a finger accusingly.

Sesshomaru ignored her.

"Why you paranoid, ungrateful, stupid demon!" Kagome said, poking Sesshomaru in the chest following each adjective.

Sesshomaru grabbed her poking hand at the "stupid". "This Sesshomaru does not need a reason other than your insolence to strike you down," he hissed out.

"And THIS Kagome doesn't like to be called a conniving, crazy bitch!" She shouted back. Kagome was thoroughly offended. She had dug up things she wasn't sure was ready to see the light of day. And Sesshomaru gets paranoid. Gods she knew his response would hurt. Why did she care?

For a brief moment, her angry tirade collapsed, leaving only the pain bare for all to see. Kagome quickly turned away. Knowing his alpha too well, Vallen had already changed into his larger form so she could make a quick escape.

Had Sesshomaru not been demon, he would have missed the fleeting look of despair and…disappointment in the darkness. It grated on his nerves. Watching her retreating figure grated on his nerves. He determinedly continued with his patrol. He did not care about the miko. Her unfortunate past was not uncommon in this warring era. Her open kindness and general cheeriness just meant the stupid girl didn't learn from her past.

Ah-Un stopped and snorted and growled in distress. Away from Sesshomaru's threatening aura, the miko was quickly attracting unwanted demon interest. A flock of bird demons were downwind of the miko, and steadily tailing her unaware self.

Sesshomaru clenched his fists as he scented all the demons coming after the miko. How did one small woman manage to get herself in so much trouble without even trying? As long as the miko was living under his roof, he was still responsible for her protection. At that thought, he launched into the air, with Ah-Un trying to keep up.

In her emotional state, Kagome had not been paying attention to the youki swarming around her until they were nearly upon her. They were obviously looking for an easy meal. "Perfect. Just when I needed to blow off some stress," Kagome muttered to herself. Vallen sped up, pulling in front of the bird demons to give her space to shoot.

The sky lit up with her powerful purification arrows. Three shots later, the mindless bird demons were no more. Vallen landed back on the forest ground just as Sesshomaru touched down.

The miko was slow as always at detecting the auras, but her skill with the bow was indisputable. Sesshomaru flared his youki to warn off any lingering demons. The miko was off limits. Boring his golden eyes into her, he simply said, "The words you speak are your own."

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru for a while. Did that mean he wasn't trying to insult her? "Are all demon lords this distrusting?" she earnestly asked.

Sesshomaru tilted his head skyward as he considered her question. "It is necessary for survival."

A moment of silence ensued as Kagome also gazed at the stars. "Then I don't envy your title at all," she solemnly said.

Sesshomaru looked at Kagome before walking away. Kagome wasn't sure if he had taken offense to that comment, or what.

Sesshomaru paused in his step and looked back over his shoulder. "Come, Miko," he commanded, and continued on.

She trotted over, and they fell into a companionable silence. The rest of the night seemed peaceful, at least for Kagome. Sesshomaru would occasionally disappear to go forward and take care of some trouble.

Kagome had never felt so relaxed and safe walking through the dark forest. The next instant, she was fast asleep, draped over Vallen.

Sesshomaru returned from disposing another set of rogue demons only to find Kagome sleeping peacefully. The miko really could sleep anywhere, he dryly thought. Was she so unconcerned about the danger all around? Or did she trust him so much with her wellbeing? He was not her protector. Yet he felt…satisfied that the miko displayed such confidence in his abilities.

A breeze blew through the forest, sweeping the miko's scent directly into Sesshomaru. He immediately tensed. The light creamy lavender and vanilla fragrance of the miko was distinctly sweeter and heavier. It had a decadent richness that was perfectly offset by the hint of spice. If Sesshomaru thought she smelled pleasant before, now she smelled positively amazing. He inhaled deeply. The change was still subtle, but unmistakable. The miko was in heat.

Sesshomaru decided it was time to speed up the patrol. The miko would attract even more unwanted attention now. The small party took flight, skimming the treetops as Sesshomaru surveyed the surroundings.

By the time they returned to the castle a few hours before daybreak, Sesshomaru had fought off nearly twice the amount of stray demons on a typical patrol. The miko was like a beacon to all with demon senses. It saved Sesshomaru the trouble of hunting down the drabble, but also forced him to engage with ones that would have normally been disposed of by the villages.

Kagome slept soundly through the entire night. When they landed in the courtyard, she shifted slightly and nestled deeper into Vallen's fur. Sesshomaru almost resented the blissfully unaware girl. But he was demon lord, and thus above such immature emotions.

Sesshomaru left Vallen to see that the infuriating woman reached her quarters, and promptly left for his study.

*Author Note: For more, see my account on Dokuga: /fanfiction/story/6261/1*


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, Umi flushed red as soon as she opened the door to Lady Kagome's room.

"Good morning, Umi. It's okay, I think I got the hang of this obi tying thing. Plus, I was going to the hot spring just now so I don't need all that fuss," Kagome called as she draped a robe over her sleeping yukata.

"Um, Lady Kagome, p-perhaps you would like to hide your scent," Umi stuttered out.

Kagome blushed furiously. She had fallen asleep on patrol and basically stumbled directly into bed when Vallen got her back into the room. She must smell horrible if Umi had suggested such a thing. "Ahem. Of course. I forgot demons were more sensitive to odors."

Umi gave Kagome a grateful smile for understanding the embarrassing predicament, and led her to the springs.

After the bath, Kagome successfully dressed herself without assistance and left for the dojo. She had set up her little research project in an offshoot room of the dojo. It was the perfect place for her to spread out her research materials and then test them out either in the dojo or forest just outside.

"Gods woman! Why aren't you covering up your scent?" Inuyasha screeched as soon as Kagome entered the dojo. He was desperately trying to cover up his pink cheeks, and was determinedly avoiding eye contact.

"What are you talking about, Inuyasha? I just bathed! I'm positive I don't smell bad right now!" Kagome's hot temper flared to life.

"Wha? It's not…" Inuyasha trailed off. There was NO WAY he was going to explain this to her. "Keh! Nevermind, wench."

Kagome glared at him, but let it go. Something obviously had the hanyou in a prickly mood, and he was too shy, or socially inept to admit it. She would pry it out of him in due time. But now was time to make a reiki fang. Toutosai had crafted a beautiful sword from a random fang Sesshomaru had provided. There were no traces of youki left whatsoever in the sword.

This time, Kagome infused a much larger quantity of reiki into the sword, and it held perfectly. She held up the completed sword and turned to Inuyasha, smiling broadly.

"This is going to be awesome!" Inuyasha enthusiastically swiped the sword from Kagome's hands and rushed off. Kagome slowly went outside the dojo to wait for the pair to inevitably come crashing back.

On cue, Inuyasha came plummeting to the ground about 10 feet from Kagome. Sesshomaru suddenly appeared in front of Inuyasha, brandishing his sword just as Inuyasha got up. The reiki fang lasted a lot longer before succumbing to Sesshomaru's seemingly endless youki.

Inuyasha turned to Kagome and gave her a crooked grin. "Heh. Not bad, Kagome."

Kagome returned the smile, pleased that Inuyasha approved of the weapon. He wouldn't have called her by name if he wasn't. "Yeah, it only cracked in the end. Toutosai can fix it and we can use this as a prototype to test counters on," she said, her mind already racing with ideas for the next phase.

"Inuyasha, Miko. The other cardinal lords will come to decide the fate of the Northern Lord shortly. Prepare yourselves," Sesshomaru emotionlessly said.

"Damn, that's some timing they have," Inuyasha grumbled, referring to Kagome's state. Sesshomaru silently agreed with his brother's concern, but gave no indication.

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked, thoroughly confused.

"Nothing, wench!" Inuyasha barked out sharply. He was again blushing and avoiding her eyes. "Just go get ready."

Sesshomaru made a swift exit before Kagome could turn her sights on him.

"Wait, why am I going? I don't know the first thing about your demon etiquettes," Kagome panicked. She had maybe read about 1/32 of that gigantic scroll on demon customs.

"You're an ally of the west now. There's been a lot of shit getting through the borders from the North. It's a real problem for the other lands to play damage control. Since you're also a big helper in this, you'll also be attending. Jura and I will be there too," Inuyasha explained. He noticed Kagome pale as he continued. "Look, you gotta go. If you don't, it'd be a sign that you're not supporting the West."

"But…what if I offend the other lords? I've lost count how many times Sesshomaru has threatened my life! Or the many more times I've seen his claws twitch like he wanted to kill me!" Kagome burst out.

Inuyasha grinned stupidly as he thought about how the fiery miko would react to the condescending lords. The lords will be so pissed! This meeting was beginning to look good already. But one look at Kagome's stricken face put those thoughts to the background. "If Sesshomaru deemed you important enough an ally to include in this shit, then you have enough right to express your thoughts. Just address everyone formally, and back up your words with good logic. As long as you do that, we'll protect you," Inuyasha gruffly admitted.

Inuyasha was being uncharacteristically comforting. Kagome knew the hanyou was a softie at heart, but it was still a rare treat to have him showing that side. "Thanks, Inuyasha," Kagome softly said and gave him a hug.

"Keh." Inuyasha was starting to look uncannily like his fire rat robe by the time Kagome released him. She hurried off to get decked out by Umi.

Sesshomaru and the other two lords were situated first in the large conference room for a brief discussion among the ruling leaders before the generals and betas of each were allowed in.

"There isn't much to discuss before we address the border chaos. Let us continue this afterward shall we?" Akira suggested. Servants were sent to retrieve the respective parties, and the lords fell into a more relaxed conversation.

"So Lord Akira, have you figured out how to get a tenth tail yet?" Kyora teasingly asked.

"As soon as you figure out how to rise from the ashes without turning into a mere chick," Akira bantered back.

Sesshomaru silently drank his tea. The two lords had long since given up on getting him to participate in their inane conversations.

Abruptly, Akira stopped talking and tilted his head slightly to scent the air.

"What is the matter?" Kyora asked curiously. Being a phoenix demon, Kyora's sense of smell wasn't as keen as the canine demons. But soon, he smelled it as well. Sucking in a deep breath, Kyora began, "Mmmmm. Something smells _delicious_." His eyes dilated predatorily.

Just then, the doors opened and the betas, generals, and allies filed in.

All the lords' eyes focused immediately on the miko. She was elegantly dressed in the colors of the West, a deep royal blue and silver. Her hair was swept up to reveal her slender neck, and she wore no makeup. Combined with the glow of purity from her aura, she was enchantingly innocent. However, what drew the attention of all the demons in the room was her scent. The rich fragrance that Sesshomaru had detected during patrol was now several times stronger. Her heat was tantalizing.

"Why Lord Sesshomaru, have you decided to heed my suggestion and provide us with some delicious female company?" Kyora drawled. He was gazing lustfully at the miko.

A deep, threatening growl rumbled through the room, too low for humans to detect. All the demons in the room froze. Sesshomaru had just warned them all off of the miko.

Akira glanced at him with intense interest. The dog demon was not known to personally protect any outside of pack. Who was this miko?

"This Sesshomaru presents a new ally of the West, Miko Kagome Higurashi," he formally introduced. It was clear from his choice of words that the miko was to be properly acknowledged at the table. She was to be treated as an equal to the generals.

Kagome calmly bowed to the assembly. However mentally, thoughts were streaming through her mind like a typhoon. She couldn't believe Sesshomaru actually remembered her name. Nor that he had introduced her so respectfully. And what about that horny phoenix? Gods she hated all the attention.

"Surely you can't be serious. A female who broadcasts her heat so boldly can be nothing short of a whore," Kyora said, obviously ignoring the warnings.

"You forget she is human, Kyora," Sesshomaru hissed. His tone dripped with controlled rage.

"But as a miko, she should be able to block her scent. Unless she is too weak to do so," Kyora continued.

Kagome, who had been carefully keeping her reiki even so as not to inadvertently threaten any of the demons, suddenly let her reiki explode. The phoenix had insulted her one too many times.

"Lord Kyora, I respectfully ask for you to stop insulting my person. As a human, I do not keep track of my fertility cycles. I apologize for not realizing such. I will hide my scent hence forth….Although, I would have expected more restraint from a lord." She couldn't stop the retort from leaving her tongue. Her stormy blue eyes bore into the phoenix's crimson orbs.

All were affected by her raging aura except for Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Jura. The pure energy merely skated across their skin harmlessly. However, the other demons around her had taken several steps back. Lord Akira and Kyora held ground, but flared their auras in defense.

"As if we could all be so cold…or do you prefer them that way?" Kyora taunted, smirking at the fiery miko.

"My allegiance falls to one who commands enough presence without having to flaunt for attention," Kagome smoothly came back.

Kyora frowned slightly. He expected the miko to either lash out or blush. "How boring. Sharp tongued females are such a drag. You'll get farther in life on honeyed lips," he dismissed, no longer in a playful mood.

Unable to contain his laughter anymore, Inuyasha bluntly said, "You're just pissed she saw through you like glass."

Kyora's aura swelled to put the hanyou in his place.

"Enough," Sesshomaru's deep baritone cut through the tension. Kagome reflexively reigned in her aura. She responded beautifully, submitting to Seshomaru as alpha, even if inadvertently.

Akira had been silently observing the whole interaction with interest. The miko was obviously very powerful, and somehow the house of the west was unaffected by her aura. In addition, she was accepted by the prominent members of the pack. Strangely, she embraces said position, instead of her holy origins. Interesting.

"Yes, let us continue to matters of state," Akira chimed in. The committee began discussing the border problem and the points of weakness in their patrols. Too much manpower would have to go into stopping the overflow of chaos into the other lands, and none were willing to do such.

Sesshomaru was getting increasingly bored. Like all large meetings, the discussion got pulled in too many directions and no consensus was reached. Inuyasha was already shaking his left leg, a clear sign that he would start picking fights if the meeting dragged on any longer. At this point, Sesshomaru couldn't help but empathize.

"This Sesshomaru believes we are all in agreement that the strengthening our borders is labor intense and futile," he finally expressed. His authoritative baritone swiftly silenced the chaos. Nods were seen around the table. "Then let us go to the source of the problem and request the new northern lord to take care of the issue. If he is successful, then the standing cardinal lord will approve of his appointment."

"Second," Kyora immediately said. He was done being cooped up in the stuffy dog demon's palace.

"Yes. Is a time frame of four months agreeable?" Akira added. Once decided, the meeting ended without complication.

When the small group representing the west entered Sesshomaru's study, Kagome let out a big sigh. "Thank gods that thing is over. Jeez Sesshomaru, if you already had everything figured out, couldn't you have ended everyone's misery in the first few minutes?" she asked in exasperation. She hoped that was the last of the meetings.

"He's a bastard. He's probably enjoying our pain," Inuyasha countered, as if the demon himself wasn't in the room. Jura didn't dare to comment, and was surprised the Lady Miko had the audacity to do so. She was not pack, unlike Inuyasha.

"As much as I enjoy seeing you writhe dear brother, I would not subject myself to the same torture," Sesshomaru dryly commented.

Kagome started laughing freely at his response. The demon lord did have a sense of humor, abeit dry and subtle. Inuyasha and Jura were shocked speechless that Sesshomaru would drop his formal speech and joke around with them. Sesshomaru was equally stunned that his stoic façade was so easily negated. The miko was doing things to him.

"If the committee was not allowed sufficient time to stagnate before a solution was presented, they would accuse This Sesshomaru of dictating more than his own," Sesshomaru boredly continued. The haughty, apathetic mask was again in place.

Kagome was impressed. Sesshomaru's logic was sound, and the execution was flawless. The guy really did think of everything. "That is brilliant, haha," Kagome smiled.

"Don't stoke his ego any more. His head might blow up," Inuyasha barked. Sesshomaru used his whip to hook Inuyasha's ankle and drag him to the floor.

"You are dismissed," Sesshomaru stoically said, but his eyes shined with amusement. Kagome couldn't stop giggling as she helped Inuyasha to his feet and pushed him out the door before he could retaliate.


	12. Chapter 12

The next few weeks blew by fast. Kagome had finally come up with a counter to the reiki weapon that didn't require recognition of the user's youki. Unlike the robe Kagome had given Sesshomaru after his battle with Ryuukotsusei and the spiritual warriors, this new bracelet produced a reiki barrier that would burn friend and foe alike. As soon as the bracelet was snapped into place, the reiki would activated and create a bubble around the user. The barrier was large enough that any humanoid user would not be able to reach out and touch it, and accidently harm himself. The barrier created by any bracelet infused with Kagome's reiki would bounce off each other, which meant allies wouldn't be able to touch each other.

When she presented the bracelet to Sesshomaru, he instantly saw the value of the barrier, but also the flaws that may impede mass use. None the less, it seemed Kagome was almost done with the task he had given her.

Sesshomaru leaned back against a large cherry tree in his garden. As expected, he felt the miko's aura drawing closer to his location. Kagome had started making a habit of sitting with him during his brief breaks. He would escape the endless work in his study once every few nights to rest and meditate under this cherry tree. The perceptive miko had caught on to his behavior not long after the meeting with the lords.

He remembered her first awkward approach. She had come back from her nightly trip to the stables visiting her wolves, and spotted him there, as she had on several other occasions. However, this time, she decided to talk to him.

Sesshomaru had been furious after reading a report that rampant dragon demons had scorched a whole village of peaceful raccoon demons as well as miles of forest near the outskirts of his territory. The problem had been dealt with, terminally. However, the village was lost. His reputation alone was no longer keeping his territory safe. The thought made his aura flare angrily, and he tightened his fists to keep it under control.

That's when the miko showed up.

Kagome wasn't sure if it was a good idea to approach the demon lord now of all times. His aura screamed danger, and everyone was wisely keeping away. Except for her. Kagome had fought down the instinct to flee and decided to see what was bothering the normally stoic demon so much. His youki spiked again, obviously warning her off. Yet she continued. Kagome vaguely wondered if she was subconsciously suicidal. Her steps were unsure and awkward, but they continued forward.

"Bad day?" Kagome haltingly asked when she was standing in front of Sesshomaru. She pulled a strand of her hair nervously. Sesshomaru didn't even look at her. His aura was once again repressed, as if he hadn't been raging just a moment earlier. Once Kagome determined that he wasn't going to kill her, she took the liberty of plopping down next to him.

Sesshomaru turned his head sharply toward her. He did not welcome others invading his personal space. Kagome met his intense gaze. His gold orbs made her squirm, so she distracted herself by carefully scrutinized him to keep her resolve from wavering.

She frowned suddenly. "You're bleeding," Kagome said with concern.

Sesshomaru followed her gaze and found that his hands were indeed bleeding from his own claws puncturing them. He had been trying to control himself so hard he didn't notice until now.

"Hm," he nonchalantly acknowledged, and retracted his claws from his palms.

Kagome boldly grabbed Sesshomaru's wrist and pulled his hand closer to examine. She had already pulled out a hankerchief and was gently cleaning the blood off. Her other hand released his wrist, groping for her pouch of medicines strung on her obi. She instinctively entered healer mode.

Sesshomaru was surprised at how fast the woman moved, but didn't let it show. He wasn't used to this tender caring, and was tempted to snap at the miko who dared to touch him. Yet he did not. His instincts did not rally to defend against the intrusion. No, his instincts weren't threatened in the least. Instead, he found himself allowing it.

Meanwhile, Kagome had dipped the cloth in a disinfectant. She finished cleaning the blood off, only to find unmarred white skin. His wounds had already healed. Only then did she snap out of her determined concentration. She immediately let go of his hand. "Oh. I guess you didn't need me to interfere," she sheepishly concluded.

Sesshomaru set his hand back onto his knee and didn't respond. Strangely, he felt calm, unlike the false evenness of his aura when he hid it earlier.

"Do you always hide your feelings like that?" Kagome asked. She was leaning back against the tree, relaxed.

"Defeat comes to one who is easily read," Sesshomaru stoically said.

"Ugh, would you stop acting like a block of ice? I'm not your enemy," Kagome admonished, scowling at the stubborn demon.

"It is This Sesshomaru's nature. Leave if you dislike it," Sesshomaru stonily stated.

Kagome rolled her eyes and decided to drop the subject. She knew he wasn't going to appreciate the direct approach. Gazing up at the pink blossoms, Kagome wondered about the demon who could appreciate such beauty.

"Why this tree?" Kagome broke the silence. Sesshomaru turned to her and arched an eyebrow in question.

"I mean, why this particular tree? Why do you like this tree? I always see you under it," she asked curiously.

"This tree has been here since the time of my sire. He fancied the scent of cherry blossoms," Sesshomaru answered.

"Do you like this scent too?"

Sesshomaru shook his head slightly. "Not particularly."

Kagome pondered this for a moment. "Then you like it because it is home? The scent of home?"

Sesshomaru turned to her piercing eyes. The miko wasn't a demon. Yet her clear blue eyes told him she understood the significance of this scent for him. He associated it with home and security, a haven. The miko understood.

"So, what's bothering you?" she asked softly.

Sesshomaru looked toward the horizon. "Dragon demons disturbed my lands. A village of raccoon demons under my protection was wiped out as consequence."

Her face saddened at the knowledge. "And the dragon demons?" she asked gently.

"Dead," was his clipped response.

"It's good that no more destruction will come from them," Kagome murmured. She sighed loudly. She didn't like death. "However, it doesn't make the damage done disappear. Do you feel responsible?"

The miko was observant. "It is my duty to protect the Western Lands."

"But your reputation and promise of retribution are no longer keeping the riff raff at bay," Kagome concluded.

Why was the miko able to see the heart of the matter so easily? How did she see through him like that?

Sesshomaru's silence was all the confirmation Kagome needed. His might was being challenged, and it seemed his presence wasn't intimidating enough to stop the turmoil. To stop a war. There was more at stake than just his pride. "Will there be war?" she asked, her voice so quiet that only the demon next to her could hear.

Sesshomaru didn't answer for several long moments. Honestly, he did not know. It was a possibility he was trying desperately to prevent. He may have defeated Ryuukotsusei, but the army that the former dragon lord had been building was still at the disposal of the new lord. Sesshomaru's army was well trained, and under his tactical command, they were a force to be reckoned with. However, he knew first hand from his long life that war came with heavy losses.

"If the Northern lord is willing to follow the decree of the other lords, then he is not one without reason. Combined with your abilities, I'm sure you will be able to prevent anything you don't want to happen," Kagome said confidently. She smiled cheerily when he looked at her. "Cheer up. You're scaring animals with that aura of yours," she playfully added, before leaving.

Sesshomaru was brought back from his reverie by the miko's presence. She again smiled at him and sat down by his side. She brought along a large scroll on demon customs, and silently began reading. Her scent was soothing, and Sesshomaru relaxed. The miko's words were comforting. Her presence was comforting. He could still feel the lingering warmth from the miko's touch. He hated it, yet desired it all the same.

"Miko."

Kagome turned to him, blinking curiously. "Yes, Sesshomaru?"

"The reiki weapons project draws to an end," he began. Kagome's mood darkened slightly.

"Yes. I just need to make a few more adjustments, and you'll be all set," she surmised. Kagome was fearing this moment. It was time for her to leave. She had grown accustom to Sesshomaru's quiet support, Seri's wisdom, and Inuyasha's rowdy teasing. They were her friends. Real friends that didn't make her look crazy when she talked to them. For unlike Vallen, they could talk back.

Sesshomaru nodded. "You will stay on as palace healer, assistant to Seri," he commanded, more so than asked.

Kagome's eyes sparkled with joy before dulling into muddy pools. She quickly averted her gaze and stood up. "I…I can't," she whispered.

Sesshomau was standing as well, boring holes into the back of Kagome's head. "Explain," he said in a voice that made no room for argument.

Still not turning toward him, she choked out, "I can't! I cannot leave my mentor Kaede back at the village. I have a responsibility to look after her as she did for me many years back and still does!" Kagome then dashed across the garden and into the castle.

Sesshomaru remained rooted. He did not take rejection lightly. Few had done so in his life, and none have since his ascension some 250 years ago. The miko dared to reject the honor he was bestowing on her? He was Lord Sesshomaru. The miko had just lost her chance to be under his protection. Never again. Sesshomaru swiftly turned away and launched up onto the balcony to his study.

The next morning, Kagome had packed and informed Seri and Inuyasha of her departure. They had balked at the news, and Inuyasha had spouted more than a few colorful words. But Kagome was undeterred.

She stood there listening to Inuyasha call her a "stupid wench" for the hundredth time that morning, but didn't retaliate. In fact, she would have stood there listening to him lash out all day if it meant she didn't have to walk down that hall and face Sesshomaru.

"You idiot, I don't care what you do anymore! Keh!" Inuyasha finally ended, and stormed away. Kagome watched the irate hanyou retreat with sad eyes. Turning away, she slowly trudged down the hall to Sesshomaru's study.

What was this mind numbing dread that was gripping her heart? Kagome took a deep breath and knocked. The door was opened by Jaken. Sesshomaru had not even said "enter" to her. He was completely ignoring her.

"Thank you for your hospitality during this time, Lord Sesshomaru. My work here has ended, and I must return to the village. Your lordship shall always be friend and ally to this Kagome Higurashi. I take my leave now," Kagome formally spoke. The only other time she had spoken this formally was when all the lords had convened. She bowed deeply. "Thank you for everything," she murmured with heartfelt emotion, and left. Kagome couldn't stand his rejection any longer.

The entire time, Sesshomaru had not even acknowledged the miko. She was leaving, and he did not care. He reread the scroll for the third time, failing again to recall what it was about.

In the court yard, Seri pulled Kagome into a bone crushing hug. "Don't be shy about visiting now. After all, I am your sensei," Seri gruffly said. When she pulled away, Umi handed Kagome an extra large traveling bag. Flying, the village really wouldn't take any more than a day to reach, but Umi had packed enough for a week.

"Come visit me as well," Kagome croaked.

She hurried onto Vallen, not wanting to drag out the goodbyes. "See ya!" she waved and smiled, knowing it didn't reach her eyes. Vallen took off, and Kagome glanced back. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were no where to be seen.

Kagome tightened her lips, and looked forward. Her life was finally back to normal. There was no reason for her to be sad about returning home. It was her home after all. She had just been getting a little too comfortable at the Western Citadel. Things would be fine in no time.

The moon was glowing brightly by the time Kagome reached the village. She was ready to collapse on her futon and forget about everything. But when she drew near to the village, something was terribly wrong.

What was going on? Kagome thought. Her house wasn't there! Vallen circled once before landing beside a pile of charred rubble.

Kagome darted off Vallen to examine the ruins. It was her house. Apparently it had burned down some time ago during her absence. She circled it, and then circled it again, unable to comprehend. Gone. Everything she owned was gone besides the few belonging she had taken with her. The scrolls she'd buy off passing merchants, her clothes, her mother's bow…everything was gone. Finally, she sunk to her knees and sat on the ground. Kagome stayed there for a long time with an unreadable expression on her face.

Vallen and Areta howled a sorrowful melody, understanding that their home was no more. The howls awoke Kaede, who slowly made her way to Kagome. She waited patiently behind the fallen girl for her acknowledgement.

Kagome suddenly stirred from her stupor. She smoothly got to her feet and turned around to her mentor. "Hi, Kaede. Do you mind if we stay with you for awhile?" she calmly asked, as if she had not just seen her house burnt down. She smiled gently, just like normal, and even patted Vallen and Areta on the head.

Kaede frowned at Kagome's reaction. The girl was hiding her emotions again. She always seemed to do this when she couldn't quite handle what she was feeling. Kaede sighed, wishing the stubborn girl would rely on her just a little. "Come Kagome child. My home is your home, so don't be so formal," Kaede comforted.

Kagome gave a big fake smile, and the party walked back to a hut fully integrated into the village. She didn't ask how her home met its fate.

The next few days, Kagome determinedly cleaned the debris of her former house. She had picked out several bowls and tools made from demon bone that had not been destroyed. Vallen helped her drag away some of the heavier scorched timbers. Areta was far along in the pregnancy, and so watched from the side as moral support.

There were mostly large piles of ash left now. Kagome slowly collected the soot and deposited it into the forest where it would return to the earth. It was just past noon, but she was already covered in charcoal smudges. Kagome looked over at Vallen's dusty appearance and said, "You're filthy, Val."

Vallen simply cocked his head and stared quizzically at his alpha, clearly indicating he didn't think she was one to talk. Kagome scratched him behind the ears. "C'mon, Val. Let's go to the river for a bath." The hot spring next to the fallen house was too polluted with ash to use. Areta closed her eyes, remaining in her comfortable sunbathing spot. Shrugging, the pair was off.

Kagome had finished purifying her clothes and was halfway into the water when Vallen abruptly sprung from the water in fully transformed glory. He issued a threatening roar before pounding away, toward Areta's location. A second later, she heard a yelp and distinctive distress call of Areta. Kagome immediately grabbed her clothes and ran after Vallen.

The scene that met Kagome made her blood boil. A small group of mikos were poised with arrows aimed at Vallen and Areta. Valllen was snarling and protecting Areta, whose hind quarters were terribly scorched by purification energy. She was slow from the added weight of pregnancy, but had managed to avoid getting hit full on by the arrow and being purified.

They would be easy targets if they took flight, and so Vallen was forced to protect Areta with his body.

"Stop!" Kagome screamed. "What do you think you're doing?"

The mikos paused. "Exterminating these vermin. The white one will soon spawn more demons. This infestation must be contained. The villagers are uneasy. You have been tainted since being spirited away by demons," Kikyo said with utmost conviction. The others regarded the barely dressed miko with cool disdain.

Kagome flushed red with anger. "How can you say that? These winged wolves are peaceful. The 'white one' is PREGNANT! Don't try to justify such senseless killing with ugly words," she growled out.

"They are demons, Kagome. Why can't you see that you were gifted by the gods to purify these creatures from existence?" Kikyo beseeched Kagome.

Kagome knocked an arrow into position. "I will not allow it," she grit out.

Kikyo sighed sadly, giving Kagome a pitying look. "You are lost, sister." Turning to her little band of mikos, she said, "Let us leave. I will not shed a breathren's blood. She will realize the fault of her ways when one of her _precious _demons betrays her."

Kagome didn't let down her guard until the band had retreated fully back into the village. "You are _not _my sister," Kagome muttered, before letting her bow drop. She knelt down by Areta. Vallen was whimpering and whinning in distress at his pregnant mate's condition.

"It's alright," Kagome cooed. She carefully healed Areta's leg, and made sure the pups were in good health. By the time she was done, only missing fur remained of the assault. Both winged wolves licked Kagome's hand in thanks, but Kagome did not smile.

Being here endangered Vallen and Areta's lives. She needed to think of a way to protect them. Her mind flashed an image of Sesshomaru. Kagome clenched her teeth. She just couldn't block the demon lord from her thoughts. Her nights were filled with memories of her time at the Western Citadel – Seri, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru's ever present aura. She would wake up keenly aware of their absence.

And now, she had developed some impossible association of safety with Sesshomaru. "Dammit," she cursed softly to herself. Kagome knew she was subconsciously depending on Sesshomaru for some ridiculous sort of protection. When did she become so weak? She had been independent for eight solid years now. When did she start relying on a person so far out of her reach? His life revolved in a sphere completely separate from her own. Gods she was stupid.

Kagome stalked back to the river, intent on finishing her bath. Vallen and Areta followed quietly behind, knowing their alpha was upset.

A stressful week passed by with Kagome keeping Vallen and Areta inside a barrier at all times. The wolves understood her need to keep them safe, but Vallen was starting to pace a hole in the ground just outside of Kaede's hut where he was restricted to.

Kaede watched the normally talkative and trusting girl become pensive and paranoid. The sadness, while expertly repressed, still clung to her aura. Kaede sighed heavily. Kagome was obsessively trying to rebuild her house, her haven. But this wasn't something that could be so easily rebuilt once lost. The security that was linked to the house was forever gone. It would never be the same again.

It was night time, and Kaede knew she would find Kagome sitting against the hot spring, heart far away.

"Kagome, dear," Kaede gently called when she stood next to the spring. Kagome turned toward her, still blinking the distance from her eyes.

"What's wrong, Kaede?" she asked.

Kaede stared at her for a long moment. "Kagome, ye must stop."

Kagome furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about?"

Kaede gazed at her steadily. "Ye know what I mean, child." She then clasped her hands behind her back and gazed up at the stars. "Ye never asked how the house burned down."

"There's no use crying over spilt milk," Kagome continued to deny.

"Arson. The common villagers did it. They thought ye were an ill omen that would bring disaster to the village. The unrest through the lands is affecting their logic. The mikos and monks didn't stop them after they felt ye leave with that demon lord," Kaede interjected.

Kagome remained silent. She wasn't stupid. She had already figured so much, especially after that visit she paid to Kaede. It was that option, or the possibility of bandits burning only her house while leaving the village untouched. 'Or maybe it got struck by lightning,' her mind sarcastically provided. However, even if she knew, it still hurt to hear it out loud. She was not welcome here anymore.

"Why did ye come back here, child?" Kaede asked with no malice.

Kagome understood what her old mentor was getting at. Why did she cling to this place so?

"Ye have not been yourself since coming back," Kaede wisely stated. She gazed steadily at Kagome, forcing her to meet the knowing look in her eyes.

As soon as she met her eyes, Kagome came undone. "Oh Kaede," she whispered hoarsely. The tears that had been lurking under the surface since leaving the Western Citadel finally fell unbidden. Kaede knelt down, and Kagome launched herself into the old woman's motherly embrace.

She hid her face in Kaede's haori and quietly sobbed, not wanting to bawl like a baby. "I don't belong here, do I?" Kagome rhetorically asked between hiccups.

"Ye have always been a special child. Don't be ashamed of that," Kaede soothed. "I knew ye were destined for great things as your powers grew. Do not try so hard to be something ye are not. Follow your heart."

"But what about you? I cannot leave you here. You are like a grandmother to me," Kagome protested.

Kaede chuckled at this. "Child, to ye, these bones may be old, but they are strong. I've many years before I need the likes of ye youngin' to take care of me."

Kagome looked unsurely at the old woman. Taking a more serious tone, Kaede then said, "Besides, there are many in the village who help elders like I. Do not waste away here, Kagome. Not when ye have found a place to belong."

"I-I will think about it. They might not even take me back now that I have left," Kagome eventually relented.

"Ye be just like your mother. Ye will find a way," Kaede confidently answered.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were sword locked and glaring fiercely at each other.

"You bastard! What the fuck did you say to her? Why do you have to drive away every person that has half a backbone?" Inuyasha bit out. It had been nearly two weeks since Kagome left, and Inuyasha was still sulking over the loss. Every time he saw his bastard brother, he would glare at him as if he had personally kicked the girl out.

"You know not what you speak of," Sesshomaru snarled. He had been restless to the point of distraction, and was tired of Seri and Inuyasha accusing him of chasing the miko away. Today, he had finally reached his limit, and fully welcomed Inuyasha's more physical approach to the problem. Sesshomaru had plenty of frustration to vent, especially with the spring heat cycle. He vamped up his aura and forced Inuyasha flying back into a tree.

"I bet it was your stony ass face. Or maybe you were human bashing again. She finishes making reiki weapons for DEMONS and you throw her 'filthy human' ass out the door? You make me sick!" Inuyasha continued to rant. He was also moody from his heat. The hanyou had been so busy sulking, he had not sought out a rutting partner.

"Silence, you ignorant fool!" Sesshomaru was fast seeing red.

"Make me! I'll fucking use one of Kagome's bracelets. She not good enough for your pompous, pure blooded demon? I'll laugh so hard when you fry on her little barrier. Take that, _Lord Sesshomaru_," Inuyasha spitefully said.

Sesshomaru snapped. Normally the icy demon would not rise to Inuyasha's taunts. But thoughts of the miko had not left him since her departure. His instincts screamed for retribution for the rejection. And yet provided him with sexually tantalizing images of the miko submitting beneath him in an entirely different way. She was human! Sesshomaru wholly blamed his heat for such inappropriate thoughts.

His indulgence in bodily pleasures was few and far between. It was unnecessary; more so now given that war loomed on the horizon. Thus, Sesshomaru's sexually frustrated state was even more reprehensible in his mind.

"Do not challenge your alpha!" Sesshomaru rumbled in demon tongue.

Inuyasha bared his fangs and attacked. He was beta, it was his right to challenge the alpha occasionally.

The ring of swords and boom of clashing youki continued well into the night. The rest of the castle meekly waited with bated breath to see how much damage would have to be repaired by night's end.


	13. Chapter 13

A few days later, the heat cycle had passed, and life was returning to normal. Sesshomaru was again shut within his study, and Inuyasha was venting frustrations in the dojo. He was still limping from his encounter with Sesshomaru, making him all the more stubborn to escape the infirmary and tear up innocent practice dummies.

Inuyasha stiffened when he felt the barrier encasing the castle ripple with each pulse of miko power. Kagome.

Sesshomaru looked out toward the origin of the pulses. Kagome was back, and he couldn't begin to sift through the ambivalent emotions her presence triggered. He paused, unsure whether he wanted to see the infuriating miko again. She had rejected him, and had no right to venture into his citadel.

Finally, he adjusted the barrier to allow her entry. Sesshomaru would face her head on, like all his adversaries.

The miko walked bravely into his study, blazing with determination. Sesshomaru couldn't help being intrigued. What did she possibly have to say after such a thorough rejection of his too generous offer?

"Lord Sesshomaru, this Kagome Higurashi apologizes for her unannounced entrance, and requests an audience with your lordship," Kagome said, using all of the formalities she had gleaned from her incomplete read of demon customs.

Sesshomaru was more than a little surprised by her manners. She was not one for formalities. It further fueled his curiosity. "What have you come for, Miko," he demanded, purposefully not reciprocating the formal gesture. His eyes were colder than ice.

Kagome clenched her fists. She knew this would be hard, but Sesshomaru's attitude made her feel foolish for even wanting to try. She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves as best she can. "I would like to discuss your offer of employment from last time. I want to be a healer here," Kagome said, her tone intense with her determination.

"What makes you think the position is still open? It has been three weeks. This Sesshomaru waits on no one," Sesshomaru said with disdain, narrowing his eyes at the audacious girl.

Kagome held her head high and met his glare. "Because you need a reiki healer. There are few mikos out there that will work with demons, and Seri can handle non-purification injuries just fine." She was standing out on a limb, but it was already too late to turn back now. "I will work for food and shelter for myself and my winged wolves. I do not need the salary you normally provide to your employees," she continued to appeal.

"Even so, what makes you think This Sesshomaru would accept _you_?" he sneered. He would not so readily take back one who had rejected him. It was not just a matter of pride, but of trust. If Kagome could so easily walk away from him, how did he know she would not betray him in the future?

Sesshomaru's words were like a slap to the face. Kagome narrowed her eyes as her aura erupted violently from her. "I may be human and an outcast miko, but I am NOT defective. I have worth, and I will not degrade it by begging to stay. You're just like the ignorant, judgmental villagers. I can't believe I thought for a second that you'd be different," she lashed back. Kagome welcomed the anger. It blocked out just how much his words really hurt her, at least long enough for her to make a respectable retreat. She refused to let him see her cry over this.

Sesshomaru couldn't follow her words. And dammit the stupid woman was turning her back on him _again._ He slammed shut the door she had just cracked open, caging the miko to it. "This Sesshomaru will have only the best. To imply otherwise is a grave insult," he said in a quiet, but deadly tone.

It took a few seconds for Kagome to register what Sesshomaru was saying. She slowly looked over her shoulder to face him. "But you just said you didn't accept someone like me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sesshomaru gave a small snort. "Do not project your insecurities onto This Sesshomaru. The problem lay not with your human status. This Sesshomaru does not take rejection lightly," he steadily answered. His voice lost its dangerous edge as soon as he realized the cause of her outburst.

Kagome couldn't believe it. Sesshomaru had practically admitted that he thought highly of her abilities; that she wasn't defective. She stared long and hard into his eyes, trying to find any deception or falsehood. Satisfied in finding none, she was suddenly mortified.

"I'm sorry," Kagome meekly said, dropping her gaze. "I didn't mean those harsh words. And I didn't mean to reject you. That wasn't my intention at all."

"Explain," he commanded, still wary of the volatile miko.

"I was hasty to decline your offer. As long as I can check on Kaede regularly, I don't have to stay at the Holy Village. I-I don't know why I cling to that place. I don't belong there, but…there are too many memories for me to bury." Kagome heaved a sigh. "I guess your offer scared me and I panicked. I was…" _'miserable'_ "…not myself when I got back. Kaede approached me, and it finally got me thinking."

Kagome fell silent. How could she explain this feeling? She held Sesshomaru's eyes fiercely with her blue ones. "Have you ever felt like you were on the cusp, and if you gave in, you would tip over? Into what, I don't know. But there's no turning back and I'm scared to find out. Your offer is like that to me…but when I look back, I realize I don't have much to lose." Her eyes beseeched him to understand. "I want to take a chance. Maybe I'll find something…something I'd never had before," she struggled to find the right words.

"I needed time to come to this decision. I am not demon so I sometimes don't understand what my actions mean to you. I never meant to betray your confidence in me. Especially if you truly do accept me." Kagome finished and waited quietly for his response. She had bared too much of herself to Sesshomaru, and knew that he could break her if he so chose.

"Report to Seri tomorrow for duties," he emotionlessly ordered. Kagome looked up into his guarded golden orbs and smiled warmly at him. He was different. She knew for sure now, and couldn't help feeling anxious to learn more about him. This time, she would get the chance to. Kagome respectfully bowed and left the study.

Sesshomaru sat back behind his desk and closed his eyes. There were several times when he had been on the "cusp" that the miko so aptly put. As a pup, he had plunged down the wrong side of it. Far down, such that even now, he didn't know if he had fully returned. But he was determined not to lose himself. Sesshomaru didn't know how the miko's words penetrated his shields so easily. He should be outraged, yet there was no fire burning in his veins. Sesshomaru vaguely wondered if he had made a wise choice in taking her in. It was as if he were falling off of a cusp of his own…

The balmy summer breeze was tickling Kagome's hair into life as she stood in the garden training her reiki. She had been seamlessly integrated into the infirmary staff. None had questioned her presence, having witnessed the miko heal that battalion a month ago. However, her interactions have been mainly restricted to the healers, Umi, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru. There hadn't been a significant conflict since she settled in, and Kagome was getting restless with so much free time.

That is what brought her to the gardens to train. Normally, she would be practicing her archery in the back of the dojo, but after Inuyasha managed to sneak up on her for the tenth time, she decided it was time to brush up her reiki skills.

She felt her reiki rise from the pit of her stomach, and summoned the energy into her hands. She practiced forming perfect spheres of reiki, expanding them uniformly, and then releasing them, guiding them at a distance. From one reiki ball to eight, it looked like she was juggling blue balls of light.

Sesshomaru spotted the miko training when he glanced out the window to his study. He had been meaning to take a brief break, but the miko was already occupying the garden he had intended to go to. He watched as she expertly controlled the small amounts of reiki. The miko had amazing control of small quantities of her reiki. It was a waste she couldn't control more.

The shining blue orbs caught the attention of more than just Sesshomaru. On the other side of the castle in the nursery, a small girl, no more than five, watched with large glittering eyes.

Kagome was in the middle of repeating the exercise with larger orbs when she felt three small youki sneak her way. She opened her eyes, but continued her reiki excise. In the bushes to her right, three young youkai of varying species were crouched low staring at her. Kagome giggled.

"It's alright little ones. You can come out now, I won't hurt you," she called out amicably. The bush rustled, but none came out. Kagome drew in her reiki and knelt down, trying to seem as unintimidating as possible.

"Would you like to play with me? I can let you play with these," she said as she formed a reiki orb in her hand.

"Really?" the little girl, who had first noticed Kagome, called gleefully, springing up from her hiding place.

"Idiot!" a small boy around the same age admonished the girl, pushing her head back into the bush. Simultaneous an older boy jumped in between the girl and Kagome, as if to protect the two younger children.

"Who are you?" the older boy gruffly asked, trying to be brave.

Kagome's heart warmed at their antics. The older boy was probably only seven, but already had the courage to stand up to a miko to protect his friends. From what Kagome could sense, he was a dog demon, like many of the guards and servants in the citadel.

"Hi, there. My name is Kagome. I'm the new healer working with Seri. Who are you and your little friends back there?"

The boy sniffed the air, testing for any deceit. Finding none, he slowly motioned for the two smaller demons to come out.

Kagome grinned when she saw the three children lined up in front of her. "I'm Haruko. That's my brother Jiro, and— "

"I'm Keiko!" the little girl joyously announced. She was an adorable bear demon with chocolate hair tied in poofy pigtails. Haruko glared at her for interrupting, but remained silent. He obviously had a soft spot for the little girl.

"Well, it's nice to meet you all. I was training my reiki. If you like, I could use your help with training. It's boring to do it alone, no?" Kagome offered.

Keiko was already nodding her head vigorously. The two brothers exchanged a look before the oldest said, "What do you have in mind?" The brothers were obviously really close and protective of each other as well as the little girl.

"Hmm… I was thinking that each of you can try catching an orb, and I will try to avoid you for as long as possible. It will be like tag but with reiki balls. Does that sound fun?"

All three children's faces lit up. Keiko was already bouncing in place, but Kagome could tell that the other two were just as excited by the prospect.

Nodding to herself, Kagome continued, "It's settled then! But first, I want you three to remember something." Her tone suddenly turned serious. "I'm a miko, and miko's have this power called reiki, just like how demons have youki. Got it?" The children nodded, eyes intent on her. "Reiki usually hurts demons. I can make mine recognize you." "Mine won't hurt you," she clarified when she saw the younger ones didn't understand "recognize".

"My power won't, but don't ever do this with a miko you don't know and trust. It is very dangerous. More scary than fire! So be careful," Kagome ended her lecture. Seeing that the kids understood what she was trying to say, she then manipulated her reiki to recognize the three small youkis and began the game. It was good training for her to guide three reiki orbs around the children. Despite their young ages, they were fast, and had great instincts.

After several rounds, Kagome switched it up, where the children had to avoid the balls. Laughter soon filled the garden as the children played and Kagome "trained".

Sesshomaru found he couldn't concentrate on the long, comprehensive quarterly budget report sitting in front of him. The miko's laughter mingled with that of the servant's children. He was not surprised that the optimistic and naïve miko would be drawn into playing with the pups instead of annoyed at the interruption, or concerned that their parents might go off on a rampage after seeing their young in the hands of a powerful miko. Eyeing the inane scroll, Sesshomaru decided it was a good time to warn the clueless woman about such possibilities.

On cue, a guard came streaking toward the miko, grabbing the nearest child to get it out of the way of the flaming ball of reiki. Sesshomaru tested the air. The guard was unfamiliar, probably a new recruit. They had gotten many of those since the last reiki attack. It would also explain why he did not know the miko and charged in so aggressively.

"Have mikos sunk so low as to attack innocent defenseless pups? Have you no shame?" the young guard snarled at Kagome.

Keiko, who was caught under one of the guard's arms, started bawling and whimpering in distress. She was barely five, and had no idea who the scary demon was that had intruded on her fun.

The sounds immediately set the two brothers on edge, growling deep in their chests. Kagome quickly stepped in before more people got hurt. The demon was obviously a guard judging by his attire, and he hadn't hurt the little girl. "Would you stop scaring the children?" Kagome huffed. "We were all playing, and Keiko would have been perfectly fine if you hadn't stepped in and gotten yourself half purified. Now let her go before these two boys jump you."

Kagome should have been paying attention more, but the game was getting harder as the little demons learned how to read her movements. Besides, the citadel was completely safe with Sesshomaru running things. The guard had surprised Kagome, and she had barely deflected her reiki orb in time. It grazed his arm, leaving the limb useless and blackened to the bone, but thankfully he had survived her purification powers.

"What are you talking about? YOU were the one chasing them with reiki orbs!" the guard retorted, now utterly confused. The male pups were indeed growling at _him _and standing by the miko.

Before Kagome could respond, an irate bear demon mother came running at them with a butcher knife in hand. "Let go of my pup, you bastard! I'll stew you for dinner, you mangy wolf!" said demon roared out her battle cry. Apparently, the mother had detected her daughter's distress and responded with an attack-now-ask-questions-later policy.

And Kagome was right in the line of fire. She stared, flabbergasted at how things devolved so quickly. She always knew demons were a bit more hot tempered, but this was one big misunderstanding!

Sesshomaru stepped in before the miko could be cleaved. "Desist!" his booming voice stopped everyone in their tracks.

The red left from the bear demon mother's eyes and she immediately fell to her knees. "Thousand a-apologies my lord. I was lost to instincts," she stammered out.

Sesshomaru didn't even acknowledge the bear demon, and instead locked eyes with the guard. The wolf demon let go of Keiko and quickly backed away. He had only seen the Western lord from afar, and heard rumors of his unmatched power. Facing the lord, he wished he was far far away.

"Wait! This is all a big misunderstanding," Kagome quickly interjected. "I'll explain in a moment. Please!" Her pleading eyes were directed at Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru had intended to fully disclose the miko's title and admonish the soldier for his rashness before the miko cut him off. He didn't appreciate the gesture, but decided to wait and see how the miko took care of things. After all, he never liked to explain things.

When Sesshomaru made no move to correct her, Kagome gave a small nod of thanks and turned to the sniffling little girl. "Hey Keiko, don't be scared. Come here," she said in a soothing voice, holding her arms open. The little girl ran to Kagome, hugging her leg tightly.

Kagome bent down to hug her. "The big wolf was trying to help. He's just not good at showing it. You know?" She continued while rubbing circles on the girl's back. Keiko looked warily at the guard, but was no longer crying.

"Dry those tears and I'll show you a magic trick in a little okay? It'll be way prettier than those blue lights you were playing with," Kagome coaxed.

At her words, Keiko's ears perked up. She turned to Kagome hopefully and asked, "Really?"

Kagome smiled at her. "Sure thing. Now go to your mom." Kagome recognized the bear demon as the head cook in the palace. "You must not see your mom much during the day because of her job. This is a real treat, right? See, the big wolf isn't so bad."

Keiko finally broke into a smile, nodding enthusiastically and jumping out of Kagome's arms right into her mother's.

Kagome patted the two boys gently on their heads. "And you two were really brave, trying to protect your friend." She ruffled their dark black locks as she praised. "But be careful. Don't jump into a fight with someone bigger and stronger than you. Running for help is for the best, but if you cannot, then have a plan." She then sized up the guard. "There are two of you, only one of him. You guys are smaller and I'm sure if you stick close to the ground, he'd have a harder time grabbing onto you. Watch his feet. If you take them out, you might slow him down enough to come out with your lives. Got it?" Kagome could practically see the wheels turning in their minds as they nodded intently. "Good! Now go see Keiko, and I'll show you that magic trick in a little bit."

Now that the children's auras were no longer fluctuating in fear, Kagome concentrated on the problem at hand. She stood tall and addressed the guard. "I'm Kagome Higurashi, the newly appointed palace healer under Seri. I'm glad you hold your position so seriously, but you were a little fast to judge."

The guard had watched the miko swiftly set the children at ease with nothing short of fascination. She was obviously not a threat, but he just couldn't wrap his head around the concept of a demon-loving miko. "But aren't you a miko? You cannot possibly work here!" he blurted out in his shock.

"My loyalties lay with the House of the West. Do you doubt your lord's judgment?" Kagome rebutted, not happy with his stereotyping.

The guard blanched at her suggestion and quickly looked to Sesshomaru to gauge his reaction. "O-of course not! If my lord assigned you the title, I definitely have no issue with it," he quickly denied Kagome's veiled accusation.

Kagome smiled. "Good. Then if you trust your lord, and by transitivity trust me, stay still and don't fight me. I'm going to heal your arm."

The guard was going to shout, "Impossible!" when he lost his voice to Sesshomaru's warning glare. Instead, he gazed with fearful eyes as the miko's reiki swelled around her. "Ready for your magic trick?" she winked at the kids.

Turning her attention back to the guard, Kagome calmly said, "Don't fight me." Her eyes were already glazed over with power. She lightly touched the charred forearm, and immediately, the guard gasped in surprise.

It felt like the excrutiating pure energies were getting sucked right out of his body. The power that had scorched him moments ago now acted like a soothing balm. His eyes widened further when the blackened tissue peeled away and new tissue replaced it. This part of the process wasn't particularly pleasant because he could feel the miko's energy forcefully pushing his regenerative abilities into overdrive. The whole arm lit up with his purple aura and the miko's blue one. He snarled against the pain, but remained still. Suddenly, the hot flow of reiki was gone. He flexed his fully healed arm in awe. There was only soreness left.

"Amazing!" the children chimed. Kagome bowed with a flourish, with a goofy look on her face. The children laughed harder. The guard couldn't take his eyes off of his newly healed arm.

Righting herself and looking at the cook with a more serious expression, Kagome said, "Sorry I didn't inform you that your child was with me. That was a rather stupid oversight on my part. If you allow, I will return the kids to the…"

"Nursery," Sesshomaru provided.

"To their nursery in a bit," Kagome finished.

The cook knew the miko from when she had healed her mate in the reiki attack. But to see a Lady apologizing to a servant like her was still unheard of. "N-n-no need to apologize, milady. That will be fine," she stumbled out.

"No. Take the children back. This Sesshomaru has a word with the miko," Sesshomaru ordered the cook. Everyone quickly left the area at his command.

Kagome looked over hesitantly at Sesshomaru. "Hehe, I caused a mess again didn't I? Thanks for your help," she slowly began.

Sesshomaru dismissed the issue. He had anticipated how much trouble the miko would cause. She always attracted trouble. "Why was his healing painful?" he asked instead.

Kagome's eyes gleamed mischievously as she smiled sweetly, too sweetly. She should have known he would catch it. "Your guard started the whole fiasco. You didn't think I would let him off so easily, did you?" Sesshomaru's eyebrow arched into his hairline at her response. "He scared the children, ruined my fun, and almost got me cleaved in half by an angry mother. The least I could do was make him do the work for the healing," Kagome huffed. "Instead of expending my powers to heal him, I pushed his natural healing to work harder. It'll obviously hurt when I put so much extra stress on it."

Sesshomaru smirked at her explanation. "You are more evil than you appear." He had found her feistiness could be both amusing and annoying, depending on who she directed it at.

"Oh please, Mr. Killing Perfection. You are not one to call anyone evil," Kagome good naturedly retorted. She secretly enjoyed his teasing.

"Hm."


	14. Chapter 14

Over the next week, Kagome noticed a drastic change in how the servants and guards treated her. The brusque cook had been completely won over by the incident with her daughter, and the other servants apparently followed her lead. Also, the new guard had somehow managed to convince all the new recruits to salute to her if they passed by her. Overall, Kagome was receiving a surprisingly warm reception. Not like she was complaining, but the constant bowing and formal address was making her blush.

However, her peace was short lived. The west was under constant attack. Not only were the rogue demons causing chaos, but the reiki attacks had skyrocketed. Only two battalions had been equipped with Kagome's reiki bracelets, and none had been armed with reiki weapons. The over half of the first wave of reiki attacks had been on battalions without such protection.

Ever since, Kagome had been crafting reiki bracelets during any down time between healings. The infirmary had become a battlefield constantly filled with purity injured soldiers. Kagome was resting against the wall on the floor of the infirmary. All chairs, futons, and cots had been used up. Thankfully, the herbs and supplies were plentiful at the palace, but the healers were all exhausted. It had been nearly a month of such turmoil. 'Just for a moment…' Kagome thought as she closed her eyes.

Sesshomaru arrived at the infirmary to retrieve the miko for constructing more reiki bracelets. A new batch of bracelets had come in just this afternoon, and Sesshomaru was eager to have Kagome imbue them with power. It was currently the only defense he had against the reiki wielders.

Normally, he would have sent a messenger to inform the miko. However, it had been over a week since he last laid eyes on the woman. She had been either locked away in the dojo making reiki bracelets, submerged in the infirmary, or passed out in her room. Even her meals had been brought to one of those three locations. Sesshomaru found the silence without the miko's presence uncomfortable.

It wasn't like he missed the troublesome girl's presence. It was just so odd to catch whiffs of her scent, without hearing the usual ring of her laughter or seeing the teasing gaze of her expressive blue eyes. When had he become so accustom to the bustle and commotion the miko caused? Sesshomaru scoffed at his own leniency. She was human! She was beneath his notice.

He was only pleased at the miko's relatively easy integration into his castle because it was one less thing he had to address. He only tolerated her intrusion on his breaks because she was too insignificant to bother him. He only felt pride at the miko's skill and usefulness because it reflected how wise his decision was to keep her.

So why was his chest constricting so painfully at the sight of the exhausted woman sleeping on the floor of an overcrowded infirmary? Sesshomaru silently walked to the miko and slowly rolled her into his arms. When he stood up again with the extra burden, he made the mistake of looking down. She was so slight and vulnerable cradled against his large torso. He instinctively clutched her closer. The insane urge to protect the little miko from the world flooded through Sesshomaru, causing him to falter in step. The next second, Sesshomaru had raced into her room and dumped her on the futon as quickly as possible without waking the miko. Then he was gone. The bracelets were long forgotten.

Summer was in full swing by the time Kagome had finished making reiki bracelets for Sesshomaru's entire army, nearly ten thousand troops. The more she made, the less injured she had seen in the infirmary. All in all, the workload had died off considerably after accomplishing such a feat.

The attacks were still continuing, encroaching further and further into the western lands. Inuyasha and Jura were out in the field almost constantly. Sesshomaru was straining to keep up with the reports, delegate duties, create tactical strongholds, and patrol the lands not staked out by his troops. He no longer had time for breaks under the cherry tree. In fact, Sesshomaru had been so tired lately that his sleeps were devoid of any dreams. Blissful emptiness. He was beginning to welcome his sleep cycles. It was almost time for another one actually.

In the privacy of his study, Sesshomaru allowed his head to fall back as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. A soft knock on the door forced him to resume his straight-backed stony posture.

It was close to midnight, and once again, Kagome had not seen Sesshomaru in his usual resting spot under the cherry tree. She missed the silent companionship she found in him. His aura, scary in its vastness, was paradoxically comforting to her. Kagome hadn't felt this safe since her parent were alive.

At first, she chattered nonstop during their nightly breaks. But now, she was slowly learning to read him. Sesshomaru was perfectly at ease without conversation – an introvert, through and through. Yet he was insatiably curious, valued knowledge more than wealth, and spoke with fathomless wisdom when he did choose to voice his thoughts. He was a contradiction. A curious hermit, a lord uncaring of wealth, a silent advisor? Kagome shook her head. Sesshomaru was unique among dog demons. They were usually very social beings. The only indication that Sesshomaru wanted contact was his avid search for knowledge.

'Dammit Kagome. Don't get attached. It would only make everyone's life more difficult. Remember what happened to Shippo. Look how you put Val and Areta's lives in danger,' Kagome chided herself. And yet her feet had taken her through the hallway passing Sesshomaru's study. The light was still on. She sighed heavily. "Is it so wrong for a miko to be among demons?" she murmured.

She determinedly walked past the door to the study. Sesshomaru was still working. In these times, there was no room to cater to her needs. She had been lonely most of her life. She didn't _need _to see Sesshomaru.

Her traitorous body wouldn't move any farther from the door. Finally giving in, she turned around and knocked on the door.

Sesshomaru was once again buried in a mountain of scrolls. Kagome's eyes softened when she saw the endless work and his stiff posture. He was tired.

"Hey, you look tired," she said candidly.

Sesshomaru still didn't like how the miko could tell so easily, but he no longer protested her accurate assessments. "Hm."

"How much more do you have to do?" Kagome casually stood over Sesshomaru's shoulder to look at the scroll he was reading. She gave him plenty of time to switch scrolls in case he had not wanted her to see it. Not sensing any withdrawal, Kagome quickly scanned through the document.

"This is a restocking order for the infirmary," Kagome concluded in mild surprise. She never thought Sesshomaru was personally seeing to such mundane tasks.

"What surprises you, Miko? The infirmary does not restock itself," Sesshomaru blandly replied.

"I just never thought _you_ would be overseeing this," Kagome exclaimed.

Sesshomaru sighed ever so softly. "The former Lady of the West returned to her birth home after Inu no Taisho mated Inuyasha's mother. Her duties now fall on this Sesshomaru. Jaken simply executes the orders," he monotonously explained.

"Oh." Kagome frowned. No wonder he was so tired. He was constantly managing two people's roles. It was impressive that he could even keep up with domestic affairs when matters of state were so chaotic and demanding currently. She resisted the urge to pry into his family's history. Maybe later, she would ask about his mother and Inuyasha's. "Couldn't you just hire a substitute?" she asked instead.

Sesshomaru snorted at the thoughtless suggestion. "And who is trustworthy enough to delve so deeply into the House of the Moon?"

'Good point,' Kagome realized. Her expression became pensive. "What about Seri? She's been with the family forever, and seems to know how everything works," she finally suggested.

"This Sesshomaru had once approached her on the topic, but she declined, citing her age and temperament as hindrances. Furthermore, Seri is irreplaceable in the infirmary."

Kagome giggled at Sesshomaru's miffed expression – that slight tightening of the jaw and darkening of his golden orbs. "She's probably just pushing you to settle down hahaha. Seri playing up her age? That owl has more energy than all us healers combined. You've been had, Sesshomaru," Kagome laughed.

Sesshomaru glared at the miko. "Either way, she was unwilling to perform such tasks," he curtly responded. "What is your business here?"

"Aw don't get mad. I noticed your light on, and it was late. Don't you need to sleep?" Her tone was still laced with mirth.

"This Sesshomaru does not require so much sleep. Once a week is sufficient."

"Once a week! Can you really live off of so little? It can't be healthy. No wonder you always look so tired," Kagome rambled. She ran over to the sofa in the study, fluffed up one of the pillows and set it on the armrest. She then ran back to Sesshomaru's side and began tugging on his arm. "You will rest. Right now," she said with all the stubbornness of a mule.

Sesshomaru watched the miko fuss over him with an unfamiliar feeling of warmth. "Who are you to command this Sesshomaru?" he said, without the usual bite in his tone. He watched the little miko plant her tiny hands on her hips and glare at him with stormy blue eyes. His mouth twitched at her endearing stance. Endearing? Maybe he was tired.

Tilting her head up so she was looking down her nose at the incorrigible demon lord, Kagome proclaimed, "I am a palace healer, so I have full right to monitor the health of the occupants in this citadel. And YOU need rest."

Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow, but his eyes shined with amusement.

"Please, Sesshomaru? Look, I can finish this restocking order. I know what the infirmary needs. Here, you can even dictate from your spot on the sofa," Kagome pleaded. She relaxed her combative stance and looked at him with large puppy dog eyes.

Sesshomaru relented, gliding to the sofa and reclining gracefully onto it. He convinced himself it had nothing to do with her big doe-eyed expression. Kagome beamed at him and quickly took his place behind the desk.

Sesshomaru intently observed the miko writing furiously across the scroll. Such a strange creature. Was she not sacrificing her own sleep to help him? Why did she care for his comfort?

"What other things were you planning to finish tonight?" Kagome asked, without looking up from the scroll.

"Preparations for Lord Akira's arrival tomorrow afternoon. Most likely, his forces have also encountered these reiki wielders," Sesshomaru answered, curious of how the miko would respond to the work outside of her expertise.

"Is there a scroll already started on such?"

"No."

"Where are lords usually put up?"

"In the South wing," Sesshomaru replied. He was impressed with the miko's efficiency.

"Are there any special accommodations that need to be prepared? Or particular preferences Lord Akira has?"

Sesshomaru paused. He had never considered such small details. However, he was very observant. "Orange blossom tea. His breath is often tinted with such a fragrance," he offered.

Kagome nodded. "You will be holding the meeting in the conference room?"

Sesshomaru simply nodded. The miko was observant and resourceful to be able to anticipate his needs. The conference room had a large map of all the territories. He would need to reference that map when they discussed where the reiki attacks have been.

Kagome looked up and smiled gently at him. "I got this. You should relax."

She obviously had no idea what she was suggesting. The miko was barely a fifth of the way through the large scroll on demon customs. By offering to perform these duties, she was taking on the role of a pack mate. Similarly, high demons did not sleep directly in the presence of another unless they were pack, or severely incapacitated. As alpha, Sesshomaru should have rebuffed the miko instead of complying with her wishes.

Why didn't he? What was wrong with him? Sesshomaru had killed others for less. 'She is not pack,' he insisted. She was his ward. She belonged to him. But she was not pack. The protest was weak even in his mind. What was Kagome to him? He was the most powerful demon in all of Japan. Who would go against him if he chose to accept a human miko into his pack? Gods, a miko in a demon's pack. Sesshomaru closed his eyes, as if to shut out the unwanted thoughts as well. He was too tired to contemplate them right now.

The miko's vanilla and lavender fragrance was slowly filling the room. Other than the scribble of ink and the occasional ruffle of parchment, the study was silent. The miko's breathing was slow, and her heartbeat was steady. The atmosphere was pleasantly calm, without any of the heaviness usually in the air. He allowed it to lull him into a light sleep.

Three hours later, Kagome set the pen down and yawned widely. Sesshomaru had been sleeping peacefully on the sofa the whole time. She stretched and got up to get some sleep of her own. Kagome looked down on the slumbering lord. His hair cascaded down the edge of the sofa around the arm splayed out from his body. The other hand laid atop his chest. One knee was bent while the other dangled ever so slightly off the sofa. The furniture was a bit small for the tall demon.

His face lost the harsh edges it held in consciousness. His thin, smooth lips were parted ever so slightly as he took deep breaths. The deep red markings dusting his closed eyelids stood out in stark contrast to the flawless marble skin around it. Kagome rolled her eyes. 'He's perfect even in his sleep.' Yet she couldn't help admiring him for it.

She knelt down and covered him with the throw on the back of the sofa. She could hear him already. 'Unlike humans, demons do not succumb to cold so easily,' he would say. Still, it made her feel better. She couldn't and wouldn't get rid of her human sentiments.

Kagome stood up, fighting the urge to brush his bangs back into place. It was the only thing out of place she could find. She shook her head and headed toward the door. It was rare to find him in such an exposed state, and she knew he wouldn't appreciate her seeing it. He was so hardened. It saddened her to think of what cruelties he'd endured to become so.


	15. Chapter 15

The next day, Lord Akira surprised the Western Citadel by arriving in the courtyard with an entourage of injured soldiers.

"Lord Akira, what is the meaning of this?" Sesshomaru stoically addressed.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Akira greeted. "I have given as much prior notice as possible. However, my men were attacked after the message had been sent. Rumor has it that you employ a miko capable of handling such purification injuries."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes sharply. "Your information network stretches far. You would not have brought them here without verifying the 'rumors'. For what purpose do you investigate the miko?"

"Can I not call upon her services for the sake of saving my troops? I have no ill will towards your miko," Akira replied.

While Sesshomaru could not detect any lies, he was still wary of the sly fox. The fox was definitely the more tolerable of the two cardinal lords, but he trusted no one. Nevertheless, they had an alliance, which Sesshomaru didn't want to test the strength of over a relatively small request like this. In tumultuous times, it was best for as many cardinal lords to be aligned as possibly. Just as Sesshomaru motioned for a servant to summon the miko, she came zooming out of the castle.

Word traveled fast in the castle, and Kagome had heard about the injured soldiers and come to investigate. "This wasn't in the plans," she muttered to herself. There were about a dozen demons sporting nonfatal reiki imbibed wounds.

"Take all of them to the infirmary," she commanded Akira's servants. "Inform Seri so she can prepare a dozen beds. I will follow shortly," Kagome then directed to Umi.

Akira watched the strange miko rush in and begin examining his soldiers before proper respects were paid to himself and her lord. This could easily be construed as disrespect. Furthermore, she had commanded his, as well as Sesshomaru's servants. He looked to Sesshomaru, expecting him to reprimand the miko.

"Miko, there are guests," Sesshomaru hinted that etiquette should be followed. He was used to the miko ignoring all others when handling the injured. She cared not for title, and formalities. The injured were to be attended first, and respect was slowly earned in her eyes. It made Sesshomaru respect her more. However, such behavior could easily get her killed.

Kagome's eyes widened when she realized her mistake. She just barged in and started ordering people around before acknowledging the demon lords. She didn't even have power to order them around. Sesshomaru was being surprisingly lenient, but she didn't want it to look like she disrespected him. He was one of the few people she thought had a right to be as arrogant as he acted – he could back it up after all. "Lord Sesshomaru, please forgive my forward behavior. I was too focused on the injured and overlooked my surroundings," she humbly said, giving a low bow.

"Hm." Sesshomaru was pleased at her unexpected show of submission. The miko was not one to submit to just anyone. She probably wasn't fully aware of what her actions meant. Either way, it worked perfectly to diffuse the situation. He would not have enjoyed forcing his dominance on her in front of everyone. He had every right to do so as alpha, but with the miko…it felt wrong to break such a fiery spirit.

Straightening, Kagome turned her attentions to the fox demon lord. "Please excuse my intrusion. I'll take my leave to attend the wounded troops," she respectfully addressed with a small bow.

Akira was pretty sure the miko had just dismissed him as he watched her retreating form. "She does not fear my wrath," he voiced, the shock still within his tone.

Sesshomaru resisted smirking at the dumbfounded lord. The miko had done the bare minimum to assuage the hurt ego, and with obvious detachment. It was clear the respect she showed to the fox was not heartfelt. It amused Sesshomaru to no end that the small slip of a woman treated his hanyou brother better than this thousand year old nine tailed fox demon lord.

"You were never one for formality. Should she fear your wrath as she heals your soldiers?" Sesshomaru quietly reminded.

Akira laughed. "True, true. I must say, you pick interesting ones."

"This Sesshomaru does not seek humans for frivolous reasons." He glared icily at Akira.

"None implied, Lord Sesshomaru," Akira corrected himself.

"Jaken will show you to your room. Unless there is an urgent matter, discussions will be held after dinner," Sesshomaru formally stated before enclosing himself back in his study.

Akira fluidly followed the toad demon to his room. Immediately, he noticed several differences from his usual stay at the Western Citadel. A basin of water and a clean wash cloth was neatly set out on a table. By his bed, laid a platter of prepared fruits, and a hot pot of orange blossom tea, his favorite. The small conveniences and pleasantries were not of Sesshomaru's hand. Never the less, he appreciated the gesture.

However, Akira's curiosity was piqued more by the mysterious miko. He swiftly left for the infirmary, intent on catching the miko do her magic. When Akira arrived, the miko was already half way through healing his soldiers. Akira watched in fascination as the ball of the miko's purification energy hovering above the injured demon intensified to destroy the foreign purity it encased. He silently watched the miko repeat the process until she was finished.

"Extraordinary. I have never witnessed a miko healing a demon. How are you able to do so?" Akira began.

Kagome looked up sharply, startled that she had an audience. "Lord Akira," she politely acknowledged. "It is more likely the case that the mikos you have encountered were unwilling, not incapable, of such a feat," she modestly said as she carefully avoided his question. While she was a trusting person by nature, this was another cardinal lord who was a tenuous ally at best with Sesshomaru. If Sesshomaru raised his guard more around this demon, then she would as well.

Akira didn't miss her redirection. "Call me Akira. You are still a rare creature, Miko Kagome," he amicably said. "Will you walk with me in the gardens? I find companionship hard to come by within these walls."

Kagome hesitantly smiled and nodded her consent. "Just Kagome," she returned the favor. What could a demon lord like him possibly want with her?

They walked slowly in the beautiful garden, both missing the enchanting scenery. Akira chatted about how he first met Sesshomaru at his ascension ceremony. "The Western house was always friendly with the Eastern house. It is often customary for heirs to be hidden until their training is complete. But the Great Inu no Taisho met an untimely death, and Lord Sesshomaru ascended shortly after his training was complete. It was the first time any of us had seen the heir," Akira chuckled, "And boy did he leave an impression. Apparently some members of the Demon Council were planning to overthrow the green heir. To this day, I don't know how Lord Sesshomaru found out, but he simply walked up to the leader and challenged him. Needless to say, the demon is no longer among the living. Everyone shut up after seeing him beat an elder."

"So how did you come to know Lord Sesshomaru? To come here?" Akira casually asked, gesturing to the Western palace.

'I healed him after a group of spiritual warriors took advantage of him after his fight with Ryuukotsusei… Nope. Not going to work,' Kagome thought. "We kept running into each other, so he found out I could heal demons. I keep a few winged wolf demons. So when this incident with the reiki attacks happened, I was naturally recruited," Kagome vaguely explained. She was determined to take the knowledge of their actual meeting to the grave with her. After all, a demon lord is not supposed to have any weakness. Everything she has experienced and heard about since entering the world of demons has reaffirmed this.

"Run into each other?" Akira good naturedly pried. The miko was obviously hiding something.

Kagome should have known the fox wouldn't be satisfied with such a weak explanation. "I have a penchant for getting caught in the middle of trouble. Since a lord's duty is to quell such problems, he was naturally there a few times. So how about you? Do you also patrol the lands and work constantly?"

Akira smirked at the once again evasive response. The miko was clever. "I am a fox demon, my Lady. I cannot pass the day without a few tricks and joys," he said as he brushed a hand down the miko's back. Her priestess garb immediately transformed into a gorgeous geisha kimono.

Kagome flushed in both embarrassment and anger. Her reiki had not reacted since there was no ill intent. However, the transformation into an "entertainer" was degrading, despite the masterpiece kimono adorning her. "You will change my clothes back right now!" She glared at the laughing fox demon, her aura casting a blue fire.

The miko was definitely attractive in her fury. The blush tinting her cheeks, the stormy, electrifying blue eyes, and her display of power. "A joke, a joke hahhaha," Akira tried to calm the infuriated woman. "Here, how about this," he said, changing the garb to that of a formal ceremonial miko, with white ribbons, tiny bells, and gold headpiece.

Kagome had never been in such an elaborate miko attire before. Her training had focused on defense and survival. Little attention was given to the ceremonial dances to ask for the gods blessings. She was momentarily lost in the fantasy the garb provided.

Akira was equally stunned by the effect. Pure and untouchable, as if the miko could truly open up heaven's gates. He reached out and curled the miko into his arms. "Please keep this as a gift of friendship, Kagome" he whispered into her ear before releasing her.

"I-This is too much. I cannot accept such an expensive gift," Kagome stumbled out. She was thoroughly flustered by Akira's handling, and spike in youki. Alarms were going off in her head, but she couldn't pinpoint what was setting them off. Was it because she never received such attention? At least not serious interest. Kouga's advances were playful. This feeling she was getting was much deeper, and it scared her.

"Do you not accept my friendship?" Akira countered smoothly.

"…I do, but-" Kagome began.

"Then you should accept my gift in good grace," Akira firmly interjected.

Kagome bore her eyes into his own bottomless green depths. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she was disturbed. "Thank you," she simply said, bowing deeply. She needed to get out of there quick. Why was she so shaken?

Steeling herself as best she could, Kagome continued, "I must get back to work. Please excuse me, Akira." She practically fled back to her room.

Akira watched her go. The miko was barely trained. She could sense his hypnosis, but had no idea what he was doing. However, she had not succumbed to his magic. She was strong. She reminded him of someone from a long forgotten past. 'Sumiko…'

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was trying to control the rage that was pounding through his body. He had come to find the miko. Akira was by nature a bit sneaky, and Sesshomaru didn't believe for a second that he had dropped the subject of the miko. Although, Akira was not one to do harm to her, especially not on Sesshomaru's own lands. Regardless, Sesshomaru was intent on finding out Akira's true reason. He had discretely tailed them into the garden.

'How dare the fox scent mark and try to hypnotize his miko?' Sesshomaru mentally snarled. It was a very subtle scent mark often used for acquaintances. It wasn't necessarily out of line for him to do so. The hypnotism could also be written off as a test of power. So why were his claws dripping with the poison he so desperately wanted to rake across Akira's face? There was no need to be so possessive of a ward. Akira was not threatening her in any way. In fact, he had given her a gift. Sesshomaru's stony mask broke into a sneer at that thought.

Sensing the miko leave, he quickly erased any signs of emotion. Sesshomaru silently left to find Inuyasha. Some stress relief was in order. He needed to stay objective during their discussions after dinner. Akira was an ally after all.

CRASH

"Fuck, Sesshomaru! What the hell is your problem?" Inuyasha barked out after getting thrown through the last brave tree still standing on the edge of their usual sparing ground behind the dojo.

"Silence," Sesshomaru rumbled out lowly. He grabbed Inuyasha's ankle and slammed him into the ground.

Inuyasha finally lay unconscious in the crater Sesshomaru created with the force of his throw.

Sesshomaru stood stiffly facing into the forest. What was wrong with him? He usually didn't beat up his brother so harshly unless he deserved it. But this time, Inuyasha had done nothing. He was simply home for a brief report and break before heading back to the borders.

A groan sounded from the crater. Inuyasha painfully rolled onto his back, no longer bothering to get up. "Urhnn. Go beat up whoever pissed you off so much. If I had known this was what I was coming back to, I'd have stayed on the field," Inuyasha coughed out.

To Inuyasha's surprise, his brother came down into the crater, grabbed his shoulder, and launched them both back onto level ground. Sesshomaru let him go abruptly, but it was still gentler than Inuyasha was used to. He could only look up stupidly at the stoic mask his brother called a face.

"Take a bath and go get some rest. You are filthy," Sesshomaru apathetically ordered.

"Keh! And whose fault do you think it is?" Inuyasha muttered, but didn't do anything further to ignite Sesshomaru's uncharacteristically short temper.

Sesshomaru retreated to the privacy of his study. The miko's scent still lingered. Immediately, he could feel himself calming. He sat back behind his desk, and gave a deep, undignified inhale. It was obvious he wasn't going to get any work done before the meeting.

His gaze drifted to the sofa the miko had put him on hours ago. Sesshomaru grudgingly admitted that he did truly consider the miko part of his pack. She represented everything he despised and found weak. Human, emotional, naïve to the point of stupidity, lacking instincts, disobedient…the list continued.

But she was a human unlike any other. She had proven herself to him time and time again, despite her talent for finding trouble. She was powerful, albeit poorly trained. She was something Sesshomaru had never known.

No scheming or judgmental gazes. He thought back to the swelling in his chest when he awoke to find a blanket covering him, and a barrier over the door preventing any unwanted intrusions. Just foolish, selfless, trusting warmth.

Sesshomaru's expression suddenly darkened dangerously. 'And that ridiculous warmth is being directed at Akira,' he silently growled. The damn fox was just an ally at best. How stupid can she be for lavishing her attentions on a practical stranger! At that thought, he stood and set out to stalk his oblivious prey.

Kagome felt a cold chill a moment before Sesshomaru pounced. He lifted her off the ground by her captured wrist. "What are you doing?" Kagome indignantly cried out.

Sesshomaru completely ignored her, donning his characteristic empty expression. Instead, he engulfed the confused miko in his youki. The very air around them heated, so hot it was freezing.

Kagome gasped at the sensation. His searing youki skated across her skin harmlessly. It pressed into her without being suffocating. However, Kagome couldn't help the initial gut wrenching panic his explosion of youki caused. It took all her concentration to keep her reiki at bay. Kagome didn't know what Sesshomaru was doing, but she trusted him not to hurt her. If he had intended to harm, her wrist would have been a bloody mangled mess by now and his youki would have scorched her.

As suddenly as it started, it was over. Sesshomaru released her and she crumbled to the ground, shaking with adrenaline, and breathing heavily. "W-What was that all about?" she whispered breathlessly.

Sesshomaru stared down his nose at the heap of miko. He was secretly pleased that the miko had not struggled when he marked her as pack with his youki. Her submission and trust calmed him greatly. The marking burned off all other scents from her person, including the blasted scent mark Akira had left. Now, at the miko's right wrist where he had grasped her, an innocuous blue crescent moon tinted her skin. To the human eye, it could be mistaken for a light bruise, but to any being with youki, the marking glowed as bright as hot coal. Furthermore, her scent was now laced with his own. No one with youkai senses would miss the fact that the miko belonged to the House of the Moon – to him.

Sesshomaru's thoughts lingered on how such a mark both protected and endangered the innocent miko. While no demon would casually hunt her, his enemies may very well target the miko, viewing her as the weakest in his pack. He shook the dark thoughts from his mind. He was capable of protecting the small slip of a woman. Besides, she was formidable in her own right. He was Lord Sesshomaru, and no one questioned his decisions, not even himself.

The inquiring look reflected in her muddied blue orbs made him shift. Sesshomaru didn't want to put words to his actions. And If he didn't want to explain, then he would not. Sesshomaru turned around and left the dazed miko without a word. She would figure it out eventually…probably.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed in surprise. When had he come back? She had been walking in a daze ever since Sesshomaru had…had what? Her mind always seemed to short circuit and she would start all over again. Kagome headed toward the baths, intending on a nice relaxing soak. She couldn't be a total basket case for the meeting after all.

"What are you doing in my baths, wench?" Inuyasha accused in both embarrassment and anger. He had streaked across room and was now roughly pulling on his robes.

Kagome blinked dumbly and looked around. Indeed, she had barged into the wrong hot spring. There were five large hot springs enclosed into the castle – two for servants, two for guests, and one for family only. Kagome usually went to the more secluded of the two guest baths.

"Oh…OH!" Kagome realized. She had been so caught up in her own thoughts, and now she was facing a half dressed, fuming hanyou. "Sorry Inuyasha. I wasn't paying attention and- "

Her ramblings were suddenly cut short when Inuyasha practically warped himself from behind the screen to right in front of her face. He grabbed Kagome's right wrist in a vise-like grip, staring at the marking with utter disbelief.

Inuyasha couldn't comprehend what his senses were telling him. Pack. Kagome was pack. How was that possible? Only Sesshomaru was allowed to mark members as his pack. Inuyasha and Seri were the only other ones, and he sure as hell didn't leave that blazing crescent moon on Kagome's wrist. Did Seri finally go senile and become suicidal at the same time to leave this mark on her? Sesshomaru would kill her for marking Kagome, even if she was almost like a great great great grandmom to them. Yet she smelled of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha's head was spinning.

"What is this?" Inuyasha quietly said.

"Huh?" came Kagome's intelligent response.

"Who gave this to you! How do you have this? This is impossible! If he finds you like this, he is going to KILL you!" Inuyasha ranted.

"What are you talking about Inuyasha? You aren't making any sense," Kagome shouted back, growing increasingly anxious. Inuyasha was totally freaked out. He was really scared, and he was never scared. The lovable crude hanyou would drop dead before admitting he was scared. So what had him _so scared_?

Inuyasha thrust her own wrist in front of her face. "This! THIS! This mark! Oh shit, oh shit, we can't let him find you like this," he panicked. His eyes darted all over the place, as if to find a hiding spot that would magically appear. A light seemed to go off in his head and he promptly lifted Kagome up and flung her into the hot spring.

Kagome's shriek was drowned into sputters and gasps. Emerging from the misty water, Kagome's blue orbs were practically shooting sparks of rage. "Inuyasha…" she said in a dangerously low voice.

Inuyasha's ears flattened onto his head as he searched for an exit. However it was too late. A giant blue ball of reiki fell on his head, slamming him soundly into the ground. Kagome's reiki was naturally set not to purify any of the demons she trusted, but it was still a tangible force to any youkai.

Kagome took the time Inuyasha was immobilized face first on the ground to fish herself out of the hot spring. Sopping wet and madder than a bull seeing red, Kagome stomped up to the fallen hanyou. "Alright buddy! What is _wrong_ with you? I'm sorry I walked in on your bath, and I didn't even notice the tiny bruise until you pointed it out to me. It was probably accidentally left there when Sesshomaru grabbed me earlier. Big deal! There's no reason for you to be throwing me into baths!" Gods the obstinate hanyou was overreacting.

Finally pulling himself out from underneath Kagome's reiki boulder, Inuyasha huffed, "You ungrateful bitch! I'm looking out for your LIFE here! If Sesshomaru found you wearing that false mark…" He trailed off as Kagome's words filtered through his dense skull. Blanching, he asked, "Did you just say SESSHOMARU gave you that mark?"

"Uh, I guess," Kagome shrugged. Her anger had died down after seeing the confused and shocked look on his face. "He came out from nowhere, lifted me up by my wrist, and proceeded to give me the weirdest youki shower in my life," she tried to explain.

"Holy crap," Inuyasha mumbled to himself. What the hell had he missed over the last few months? His icicle-up-the-ass brother had taken in a stray. A human. A miko! While he couldn't be happier to have Kagome as pack, Inuyasha couldn't help wondering what had possessed his brother to do so.

"Are you sure it was Sesshomaru? Not some fake doppelganger?" Inuyasha questioned, still incredulous.

Kagome glared at Inuyasha. "I don't think that youki can be impersonated. My reiki would have reacted if it was different in the slightest. It was definitely Sesshomaru."

Assuming he gave into the impossible notion that his frosty brother actually marked Kagome, how did she not know? "Don't you know what this means?"

"Uh…" Kagome scrunched her face in thought. "Am I supposed to?"

Inuyasha sighed loudly, raking his claws roughly through his hair. "Damn miko who doesn't know shit about demons," he muttered. "You've been studying that stupid scroll on demon customs right? What do you know about inuyoukai pack?"

"Well, most inuyoukai are social creatures that live in a pack led by an alpha male. Canine demons all have a similar hierarchy," Kagome regurgitated.

Inuyasha waved it off. "How do they form packs? How do they select members?"

"Packs are usually composed of family members. Those that aren't are usually adopted into the pack by the alpha male. All members of a pack are marked by the alpha…" Kagome trailed off as the realization hit her. "Oh my god…"

She darted her turbulent, beseeching gaze onto Inuyasha. "Is this…Did he…?" She couldn't finish the ludicrous thought.

"That's no bruise, that's for sure," Inuyasha said grimly. He wasn't sure how the girl would react to being bound to his pack. Kagome would be expected to stay with the pack for as long as she lived now. Any major decisions would need the approval of Sesshomaru. A piece of her freedom was lost, and given her willful personality…Inuyasha snorted.

Now that she examined the mark with her reiki, she wondered how she could have missed the imprint of youki to begin with. "So…I'm pack now?" Kagome tentatively tried out the word. She wasn't sure how she felt about this. No that was a lie. She was happy, unbelievably absolutely happy. Since her parents died, Kagome had stood out like a sore thumb in her village. This was the first time she truly felt like she belonged – and to think these people wanted her there as well!

She was worthy. Lord Sesshomaru of the Western lands, House of the Moon, strongest of all youkai, thought she was worthy. She could feel her chest swelling with pride.

But Kagome couldn't stop the surge of fear that came with it. This was too good to be true. Sesshomaru tolerated her, maybe even accepted her to some degree. But to take her in as pack? She shook her head. Her thoughts were so jumbled. Moreover, she had no idea what that actually meant. Did she have to follow orders like Inuyasha? What was required of her? And when would she wake up only to realize this was all a beautiful, unreachable dream? Kagome's normally open expression was completely unreadable as her mind raced over this new development.

"And you threw me into the water to hide my scent from an inu DAIyouaki?" she dryly asked Inuyasha, arching her eyebrow in a way that would make Sesshomaru proud.

"Uh…I…" Inuyasha sputtered. "Keh! You shoulda just told me," he gruffly protested.

"Uh huh. When I had no idea what happened," Kagome drawled.

"Keh!" Inuyasha looked away, flushed with embarrassment at his ridiculous attempt.

Kagome finally dropped her peeved stance and giggled. She rubbed Inuyasha's ears gently and said, "I gotta confirm a few things first before I start calling you brother." Giving one last wry smile, she quickly left to find Sesshomaru.


	16. Chapter 16

As usual, the stoic demon lord was buried in his study. He detected the miko's anxious aura before she barged into his study.

"Sesshomaru!" she exclaimed, quickly closing the door behind her. Her eyes darted around to make sure the premises was secure.

He was sure any discretion she was trying to achieve was lost during her harried flight to him. Sesshomaru raised a characteristic questioning brow.

Now that she was standing in front of him, Kagome suddenly felt incredibly nervous. She had intended to charge in and fully interrogate the reticent demon. Where did all that righteous courage go when she needed it most?

Her need to know finally overcame the shyness. Pointing to her right wrist, she asked in a deceivingly calm voice, "Did you really intend this? Am I really…" Kagome blushed. "Pack?"

Sesshomaru stared into her big, imploring eyes. He had been dreading this moment. Why had she not asked someone else to explain the intricacies to her? Why was he so uncomfortable? He was avoiding things like a coward! "This Sesshomaru does not commit such actions carelessly. You are This Sesshomaru's ward," he steadily said, making sure none of his unease slipped into his voice. His insecurity.

"But what does this mean?" Kagome insisted. She did not clarify her question, knowing full well Sesshomaru understood.

"You now belong to the House of the Moon. All demons can sense this from the marking on your wrist. This Sesshomaru offers his protection and ensures your wellbeing. In exchange, you will act in the wellbeing of the pack. Your loyalty and submission will be to This Sesshomaru, and only him."

Kagome noted the stiff formality in his tone. 'What is he hiding?' "I am not property. And I won't just mindlessly listen to your every beck and call. I will not be used, and I will not have decisions made for me, without regard to my opinions," she warned with an edge in her voice. Sesshomaru had not asked her before branding her like cattle. While she desperately wanted this acceptance, she had to make sure it was for the right reasons.

Sesshomaru quelled the rise of youki at her defiance. "Do not insult the glory of bearing my mark. No member of my pack is considered mere property. I am well aware of your…personality, and have taken thus into account." Ah yes. This was in part why he was so uneasy. He had not asked the miko before marking her. Subconsciously, he knew this would come back to haunt him, but at the time, he just wanted to claim her as his. The other part of his discomfiture centered around _why _he wanted to claim her so ferverently. He had no answer.

Kagome narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. He really was good at avoiding the questions he didn't want to answer. And the "glory" of bearing his mark? So typical of him. But the joy bubbling inside her was quickly overwhelming the irritation she felt. Sesshomaru had admitted that he didn't expect her constant submission. "So from now on you'll get my consent first?"

"Matters of urgency shall not. However, for the most part, I will have your consent," Sesshomaru conceded. It was a matter of pride to have her willingly obey and not because of status alone.

"Are you sure about this? I'm not the obedient type…I don't understand certain demon gestures yet…I will probably unknowingly offend you. Are you sure?" Kagome warily asked again.

It was Sesshomaru's turn to be frustrated. What part of his long winded, in his opinion, explanation did she not understand? "Miko, I doubt your offenses will exceed those during our first encounter. If I had wanted a thoughtless, submissive doll, I would have chosen one from the countless standard human females in my lands. Intellect is to be valued."

Kagome finally relaxed into a brilliant smile. Her sparkling midnight blue eyes were roiling with unbridled joy. She leaned over the desk to latch onto the unsuspecting demon lord in a bear hug. Pushing herself back, she beamed at him. "Thank you."

She released the shell shocked demon and pranced out the door, giggling like a maniac.

Sesshomaru stared at where she disappeared behind the door, mouth still slightly agape. He could not recall the last time someone had hugged him. Hugged! She was becoming too loose with his person. Yet his claws didn't even twitch in anger or disgust. Instead, he was feeling ridiculously pleased with himself to have delighted his pack mate so. Nonsensical instincts, he huffed. Perhaps he should meditate to assure his reknowned temperance was still intact.

Dinner was finished without a hitch. Akira immediately noticed the marking, but wisely did not comment about it in front of Sesshomaru. The group quickly retreated into the conference room.

Akira began first, confirming the increased reiki attacks in his lands as well. "One of the later attacks that spurred this meeting finally produced some results. These rogue reiki wielding demons seem to be working under a being named Naraku," Akira informed.

"Being? Of what nature?" Sesshomaru immediately honed in.

"It is…unclear. Apparently this Naraku felt it was time to reveal himself. He led an army of reiki wielders and decimated my battalion, allowing only two soldiers to escape and send a message: The Shikon no Tama shall be mine, and all shall fall beneath my might!" Akira paused, waiting for the severity of the situation to sink in.

"Shikon no Tama…wasn't that just a dumb myth?" Inuyasha uneasily asked.

"The Jewel of Four Spirits is more a legend than a myth," Akira clarified. "The story passed down for over two generations within my line speaks of a jewel made from four spirits. It was an artifact of great power, and unnaturally coveted by all demons. It was said that the jewel was able to grant any wish. Thus, great chaos and devastation wrecked the lands over possession of the jewel. However, a pure human, which in these times would be titled a miko, had destroyed the jewel. The four spirits were dispersed, and the jewel was no more. It is unclear as to how the jewel came to be, or how the miko had destroyed it."

"The four spirits: aramitama, kushimitama, nigimitama, and sakimitama. Aggression, wisdom, serenity, and love. These spirits are meant to be in harmony. An unbalance would be disasterous. Regardless of the power such a perversion would create, the jewel would be too dangerous to handle. It is fortunate that the thing was destroyed," Kagome added. 'But it hasn't. Not completely if a demon Naraku is claiming it.'

Dread was slowly creeping to the forefront in the minds of all the members in the conference. The question unvoiced, but louder than any voice: If the Shikon no Tama was destroyed, then how is it resurfacing now?

There was no answer to the elusive question. So instead, Sesshomaru refocused on something more tangible. "This Sesshomaru requires more details of the Naraku you speak."

"The surviving soldiers could not give a proper definition," Akira said. When Sesshomaru gave him a dark look, he hurried to elaborate. "They said he was both human and demon, almost like a hanyou, but not from natural means," Akira continued, looking at Inuyasha.

"What the fuck?" Inuyasha bristled. He was always a little sensitive when it came to the topic of his diluted blood.

"They could not pick out a clear scent from Naraku. He smelled of demons, too many demons to be real. And still, he reeked of human. I do not know what he is. From appearance alone, my soldiers described a well built humanoid of good stature with long waving black hair, and red eyes," Akira provided, ignoring Inuyasha's outburst.

"Weapons, strengths, weaknesses. Abilities. Attacks." Sesshomaru listed more than asked. He narrowed his eyes when Akira remained silent for all his questions. Did the fox truly not know anything of the enemy besides his physical appearance and name? Useless!

"What exactly did he use to overcome your army then?" Sesshomaru ground out.

Akira shifted uncomfortably under Sesshomaru's molten glare, but refused to be intimidated. "By sheer numbers. He commanded hundreds of low level demons along with an army of skilled reiki wielders," he admitted without shame.

"Dammit, there's nothing we can trace!" Inuyasha shouted out the frustrations of everyone present.

Akira gave Inuyasha a look that clearly indicated he thought the hanyou was an imbecile for stating the obvious.

Inuyasha growled at the look and was just about to accuse Akira of incompetence, when he felt a tug on his arm. Snapping his head down to locate the source of the obstacle, he was met with two bottomless blue orbs.

"Calm down," Kagome steadily said. In a gentler tone, she added, "Everyone is frustrated, but there is no use in getting upset. We already have more information than before. A hard to place scent can be just as useful as a defined one can it not?"

Just as Akira suspected, the miko was not ordinary. "Yes, an unusual scent may be even more noticeable in fact," he confirmed while scrutinizing the small woman.

What Kagome said was true. Sesshomaru had tried to capture countless reiki wielders, only to have them commit suicide. The first few had literally slit their own throats. When subsequent prisoners were shackled to prevent such movements, they would go as far as to smash their own heads open or bite themselves until they bled to death. It was as if the demons were spellbound to self destruct, losing all coherent thought such that any questioning would be futile.

"Priority will be given to locating Naraku and researching the supposed destruction of the Shikon no Tama. If that is all, the meeting is adjourned. You will return to your lands and conduct similar searches once your soldiers are able," Sesshomaru dictated.

No one argued. Inuyasha and Kagome knowingly filed out and into Sesshomaru's study. Sesshomaru joined them shortly after attending to Akira. He was pleased his pack understood and awaited further instruction. Sesshomaru erected a soundproof barrier around the room.

"If Akira's information is correct, then Naraku will undoubtedly show himself to all the cardinal lords. Inuyasha, be prepared. Alert Jura as well. One of you two will most likely be targeted, being exposed out in the fields. Do not face Naraku, should he attack," Sesshomaru commanded.

"What? But the bastard's finally shown himself! It's the perfect opportunity!" Inuyasha protested.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru sternly warned, his voice deathly quiet. He would not tolerate disobedience on this.

"Yeah, Inuyasha. Didn't you hear Akira? This Naraku guy doesn't even have to lift a finger he has so many troops. Don't throw your life, and the lives of others, away. You are beta to Sesshomaru and responsible for a battalion," Kagome added, her tone reflecting the authority held in Sesshomaru's.

Inuyasha quickly swallowed his retorts, and nodded to Sesshomaru. "I'll scatter everyone. But I'll still try to cut off a limb if I can."

Sesshomaru was secretly impressed and grateful for Kagome to explain what he was reluctant to. He simply nodded his approval to his pack. "As for the Shikon no Tama, there are records in this House's library as well. However, the jewel's origins are more important than its destruction."

Kagome and Inuyasha stared at him, confused.

Sesshomaru disliked explaining things. "What are the chances a jewel of such magnitude could survive for so many millennia without resurfacing or causing any issue?"

Kagome's eyes widened in understanding. "Naraku isn't referring to the former jewel, he's trying to recreate it!" Sesshomaru nodded curtly, pleased he didn't have to say more.

Inuyasha paled at Kagome's words. "So the jewel really was destroyed way back when? And now this bastard is trying to make another one?"

Kagome nodded. "Most likely," she solemly said, forboding the implications. Inuyasha cursed colorfully at that.

"Miko, you will assist in the library henceforth unless a matter requires your specific expertise," Sesshomaru directed.

Kagome smiled ruefully at the order. He really didn't understand how to ask for help. But Kagome understood. This was the only way the demon lord has known, and she would not fault him for it. Not now. Not on a matter of such gravity. "Okay," Kagome agreed.

The next evening, Akira invited Kagome out for another walk in the gardens. She had agreed, but couldn't stop the suspicion twisting in her gut. Why was a demon lord so interested in her? Kagome suddenly stopped, stomping her foot. She was starting to sound like Sesshomaru! Gods, couldn't Akira just be interested in her because he _liked _her? Curiosity may be the fuel that started the friendship, but it was a friendship nonetheless. She would not close herself to such possibilities because Sesshomaru's paranoid tendencies were rubbing off on her. Besides, the fox demon was good natured, funny, smart, and _hot_. His wavy golden locks were on par with Sesshomaru's sleek silver ones. 'What is not to like? And WHY was she comparing the two!' Kagome thought in frustration.

"You are even more beautiful in your anger, my lady," Akira's light voice called out from too close behind her.

"Akira!" Kagome jumped at hearing a voice so close.

He merrily laughed at her antics. "Come, walk with me." They strolled deeper into the gardens crossing a picturesque bridge over a koi pond.

"So…did you need something, Akira?" Kagome hesitantly began.

"Do I need a reason to be with a friend?" Akira countered.

"No, of course not!" she quickly denied. "But you barely know me."

"Well, I guess we will have to rectify that," he smoothly replied. "What would you like to know, little miko?

Kagome paused, collecting her thoughts. "Why do you want to be friends with me?"

"Straight to the point I see," Akira quipped. "I find you intriguing. Few humans are as open to demons as you are, especially not mikos. Moreover, you are a beauty, and spirited. It is more refreshing than a summer breeze."

"If I didn't know better, I would think you a playboy like Lord Kyora," Kagome clucked. She was so used to the empty flattery from the flighty visits Koga would pay her. This was no different.

"You wound me, my lady!" Akira exaggerated, holding a mock injury to his heart.

Kagome laughed freely, her blue orbs lighting with mirth as she gazed into his endless green eyes. A gentle breeze caressed her face and she sighed in content. She wanted this easy comraderie.

Akira's mind flashed to a demoness with sea green eyes and luxurious red hair laughing with the same expression. Her face was ethereally pale like the moon, and smoother than polished alabaster, but it was her smile that lit up the very air around her. 'So similar,' Akira thought, momentarily caught up in her joyous display.

"What?" she suddenly asked.

Akira hadn't realized he had spoken aloud. "Your laughter reminds me of one from a more blissful time," he answered wistfully. He answered Kagome's question before she opened her mouth to ask it. "My mate. My former mate," Akira said, voice vibrating with emotions too deep to name. His smile contorted into a grimace. "Sumiko…" he whispered, in a reverent, forbidden way.

Kagome's compassion for the pained fox demon spilled into her aura. "I am sorry for your loss," she sincerely said, her expression mimicking the sadness exuding from him.

Akira waved his had quickly. "It is the past. She passed over five centuries ago," he reassured the miko.

Kagome's eyes widened. Five hundred years! And he still held his deceased mate in such regard. Her heart immediately went out to him. While she knew canine demons mated for life, she never understood how strong the bond really was. "Your devotion is admirable. I hope you find happiness once again some day. A passionate heart is not fated to remain alone," she comforted gently.

His aura spiked briefly at her words before settling down. "You are too kind." Clearing the air with a big sigh, he changed the subject. "Now that you know such intimate details of me, won't you share your story?"

Kagome gladly changed the subject. "I was born and raised in the Holy Village on the eastern border of the Western lands. Since my parents passed when I was ten, I have been in the care of my mentor. The winged wolves have been with me for about two years. They were strays I picked up that were left behind by their pack. We've been inseparable since. I have my fair share of misadventures, but life has been peaceful on average."

"This…" she gestured to the western citadel, "was something I decided for myself. It's about time I had a real adventure, and not another misadventure." Kagome said the last part with a wry grin.

Akira chuckled. "Too true. So you were from the Holy Village? Then your parents were also spiritual beings? "

"Yes. Shinsen and Midoriko Higurashi," Kagome quietly said. She was thankful her voice didn't quiver as her heart did.

Akira closely studied the miko and her abrupt withdrawal. "It seems tragedy is a commonality we share, my lady," he solemly affirmed. "Shall we make happiness our new commonality?"

Kagome smiled. "Of course."

"Well then, you must regale me with the stories of your 'misadventures', neh?" he said with great flourish.

They burst into laughter again. And so Kagome began. "Once, I was picking herbs and…"

She met with him the following two nights before his soldiers were once again fit to travel. Their awkward first encounter, and rocky start was quickly smoothing out into a pleasant friendship.


	17. Chapter 17

"Sesshomaru, just how big IS this place?" Kagome cried in frustration. They were in the private library of the Western Lord, dutifully sifting through the scrolls for hints about the shikon no tama.

"We've been stuck in this dusty labyrinth you call a library for over a week and all we've found are accounts about the last Great War during the time of the tama," Kagome continued her rant.

When she finally paused to take a breath, Sesshomaru simply raised a bored eyebrow at her. He was also miffed by the sheer volume of information they had perused to no avail. It didn't help that the scrolls recording that time alone took up two rooms large enough to comfortably fit Sesshomaru's true dog form.

Kagome slumped in defeat. She wasn't trying to complain, but the Great War caused by the tama spanned two centuries! "Is there no way to further narrow down the search? Or how about getting some servants in here to help as well?" she suggested hopefully.

"Any more confinements and the risk of omission increases substantially," Sesshomaru answered.

"And getting help?" Kagome persisted.

Sesshomaru was quiet for a long moment. "This is the library of the Western Lord. It is the duty of the Western Lord to keep historical accounts of all important events and information during his reign," he finally said.

Kagome gave him a quizzical look. "So?"

He paused for an awkward silence. He hated explaining himself. Dogs communicated mostly nonverbally. But as Kagome continued to stare at him, he mentally sighed – she was not a dog demon. "Outsiders are not permitted," came his clipped response. With that, Sesshomaru threw another scroll at the gaping miko and proceeded to the adjacent room. "Get to work, Miko," he called without looking back.

The scroll clacked to the ground.

Kagome slowly ran his words through her head a third time. '…then that would make me an INSIDER, wouldn't it?' A wide, goofy grin spread across her face. Wordlessly, she picked up the scroll and studiously continued to work. It was obvious to her that Sesshomaru was reluctant to release such information to her. She would not make him more uncomfortable by vocalizing what he did not wish to say. She was pack.

Her face further flushed with joy as she desperately tried to distract herself with the scroll.

However, their research did not seem to yield results fast enough. Humid heat was giving way to the first nip of autumn, yet the air was deader than winter.

Kagome bit her lip to suppress the unbecoming whimper caused by the sight before her. Destroyed. Huts were nothing more but charred remains, and countless bodies were strewn across the decimated village, without proper burial or cremation. The men had multiple limbs chopped off, obviously having met a slow and painful death. The ravaged women were forever frozen in their last moment of horror. And the children. Gods even the children. Some looked half eaten, with entrails spilling from their small abdomens.

This had been a peaceful demon village deep within the Western Lands. "Why?" Kagome sobbed out. "How could anyone do this?" she brokenly asked. The anger and sorrow were rolling off her in waves.

Sesshomaru did not acknowledge her words. He slowly walked through the ruins, searching for survivors.

Kagome studied the stoic lord. His face and aura were blank. Too blank. This incident upset him more than he let on. The small entourage that had come with them to investigate could only stand there, rooted to the ground just like Kagome.

"Dispose of the bodies properly," Sesshomaru grimly ordered. He had finished walking through the village. There were no survivors, as suspected.

At their lord's command, the troops slowly came out of their stupor and began piling the bodies in the center of the village. Kagome knelt down to help as well.

A little girl's dead fish like eyes stared back at her. She could have been no older than Keiko, the cook's daughter. Yet her life had already been snuffed out. The innocence those big brown eyes should have held was now just cold and black. Kagome gingerly brushed the tangled bob cut hair back into place. She couldn't lift the girl. In fact, Kagome couldn't even lift herself back onto her feet she was shaking so badly. Then her view was blocked.

Sesshomaru had come in between Kagome and the lifeless little pup. He scooped up the pup and gently set her down in the growing pile of corpses. A pyre was prepared and lit. Then he knelt beside the miko. Unable to resist, he brushed away the tears that streamed from her muddled deep sapphire orbs.

Kagome turned her head toward him at the tender touch. Something inside her snapped when she saw his intensely shining gold eyes. Kagome launched into him, gripping his haori for dear life. She muffled her cries in his shoulder, ruining the luscious silks. But neither cared.

Sesshomaru remained unmoving, allowing the small miko to lean on him until her tears dried. His back was to the tall flames, and his nostrils occasionally flared with discomfort from the fumes of burning hair and decayed flesh. The rest of the demons had all left the immediate area when the pyre was lit. Still, he stayed by her side.

When he felt she was sufficiently calmed, he slowly removed her buried head from his shoulder. "Are you well, Miko?" he softly said.

His voice was flat as usual, muting the concern such a question typically reflected. Nonetheless, Kagome could see the inkling of worry that seeped into his golden orbs, turning them ever brighter. Her eyes softened in return, and she managed a small watery smile as she nodded.

This village had been burned to the ground by Naraku and his minions of reiki wielders and lesser demons. Under Sesshomaru's orders, Inuyasha and Jura had effectively evaded Naraku when he tried to introduce himself as he had done in the Eastern Lands. In his rage, Naraku laid waste to this civilian village to convey his intent. There was no honor or righteousness. It was pure carnage.

Finally collected, Kagome turned to Sesshomaru. "Naraku must be defeated," she venomously bit out. Her eyes lit with turquoise lightning. Kagome was a forgiving person, but there was no mercy in Naraku's monstrous actions.

Sesshomaru nodded his head ever so slightly in a silent vow. They would defeat Naraku. He would not get away with what he had done in the Western Lands.

The next day, Sesshomaru and Kagome were sitting in the training grounds outside the dojo.

"This Sesshomaru shall train your reiki control every evening henceforth. Once your powers are manageable, you will begin learning defensive and offensive katas. You will run twice around the Western Citadel each morning to build stamina."

Kagome nodded seriously. The perimeter of the Western Citadel was at least 5 miles. And Kagome had a feeling that would be the easiest part of the training. However, she was determined. After seeing the village, Kagome decided shooting arrows and healing people would not be enough. She wanted to be able to fight. There was much more reiki within her that she was just too afraid to tap. But if she could, maybe she'd be able help - to fight alongside Sesshomaru.

"Feel your reservoir of power at your center. Try to encircle it, shape it," Sesshomaru slowly instructed. Reiki and youki were opposite energies, but they both originated from the soul, and flowed in similar ways. Sesshomaru felt Kagome's aura flail and pulse erratically.

"I can't," she said. Her eyes were tightly shut and brow furrowed in concentration. There was too much to contain, like trying to gather the sea in your arms. Impossible. She couldn't imagine it.

"Hm." She was too inexperienced with handling so much power. "We will return to this lesson at a later date. For now, manifest your reiki." Unlike the first method, this method of releasing the reiki from her body would deplete it. However, putting stress on her reiki stores was the second best way to grasp more.

Kagome easily made a sphere of reiki in her palm.

"Expand it, while maintaining perfect shape. Visualize it in your mind."

Soon, a ball of reiki taller than Kagome was floating in the air above her head. She was already emitting more reiki than an average miko. But Sesshomaru could feel the huge reservoir still locked within her.

"More," he commanded.

The growth of the reiki orb was gradually slowing. Kagome scrunched her face in exertion as she tried to force the increasing amount of reiki into the form of a sphere. The sphere reached twice Kagome's height in diameter before it started fluctuating.

"You will perform this exercise until you are unable to pull anymore reiki from within."

Kagome gaped at him as if he were crazy, but refrained from commenting.

Sesshomaru was grateful for the obedience. The girl had immpecable control over small amounts of her reiki. They could begin a different lesson based off of that. "You have never channeled your reiki to your body?" he state instead of asked his question.

"Uh, well I channel it to my hands and make those reiki balls," Kagome answered, confused. He had just seen her channel it didn't he?

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in a glare. "You have not thought to use your reiki to enhance your body," he clarified. He could practically see the idea dawn on Kagome and the wheels turn.

"H-how? I have never thought of it," she asked excitedly.

"Hm. Demons use their youki for this purpose. If reiki was so different, This Sesshomaru would not be training you," he dryly chastised.

Kagome blushed in embarrassment. "Right."

Sesshomaru's mouth twitched in amusement. The miko was entertaining to tease. He quickly wiped the expression away. "Charge your leg muscles much like your bow and arrow." When he saw her pants glowing like a lantern, he commanded, "Jump."

An ear piercing scream erupted from Kagome's mouth as she propelled herself 50 feet into the air. Her concentration was completely lost, and the reiki quickly faded from her legs. How was she supposed to land? 'Gods, I'm going to die by my own stupidity. Stupid training. Stupid Sesshomaru,' her thoughts spiraled as she began her descent.

While the scream was particularly unwelcome for his sensitive ears, Sesshomaru couldn't hold back the smirk that split his mask. The miko really was too entertaining. He jumped up to catch the falling miko halfway down her descent, cradling her smoothly into his arms. Immediately he felt the girl clutch his haori in a death grip, pressing her face into the crook of his neck.

"Stupid Sesshomaru. Idiot Sesshomaru," she mumbled under her breath like a mantra. They were already safely on the ground, but she didn't dare look.

Sesshomaru chuckled, barely keeping his smirk from widening into a full out smile.

At the deep rumbling Kagome felt more so than heard, her head shot up to meet Sesshomaru's glittering eyes. The sound was so unexpectedly warm. She had never heard him chuckle before, but quickly decided she would try her best to bring out the laugh more and more.

Sesshomaru stopped himself at her shocked, almost awed expression. He was also surprised at the laughter that had bubbled forth, but hid it much better than the open book Kagome's face was.

Kagome seemed to remember why she was so angry at him after he stopped. Scowling at him, she weakly beat her fists on his chest. "You meanie! You should have warned me, or at least taught me what came after the up part!"

Sesshomaru quietly snorted at her antics. Her ire only made him want to tease her more. And so he did. Letting go of his hold, Kagome was promptly dumped onto the ground.

She yelped when she hit the ground. "Hey!"

Her angry flush was now past her neck and down into her haori…Sesshomaru flicked his eyes away from the fascinating sight. He swiftly turned around before the girl could elicit a smile from him. Dare anyone say the Lord of the West was having _fun_.

Their training sessions continued, and as the weeks passed, they were soon Sesshomaru's only reprieve. The wayward demons from the North had been effectively quelled by the newly appointed lord. A demon council of ancient demons and the cardinal lords had granted the title to Ryura. But shortly after his title had been secured, Sesshomaru's spies had begun reporting abnormal military behavior along the border between the West and North. Was Ryura picking up where Ryukotsusei left off? Sesshomaru's jaw tightened, as he stared at the most recent report of northern troops settled at the border of his lands. Numbers were already in the thousands.

"Are you alright?" came Kagome's gentle, concerned voice.

Sesshomaru relaxed almost imperceptibly as her scent filtered through his nose, and her aura wrapped around him. He would probably never tell the miko how much her presence affected him, or how much he appreciated the calming effects. "What are you doing here, Miko?" he asked instead.

"Kagome. When will you call me by my given name? You stopped demanding I call you Lord when you marked me as pack. Shouldn't you have started calling me 'Kagome' then too?" she huffed.

"Hm."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Nevermind. I'm here because I found another scroll about the Shikon no Tama." She threw him the scroll.

_When the world was cast in darkness, four beings and their allies rose forth to fight the darkness. Days to weeks, weeks to months, months to years, until only the four of power remained. Demons' and humans' will united for one wish. Four joined, four sacrificed. Darkness forever banished to the shikon no tama. Purity and Darkness destined to battle until a pure one wishes no more. _

"That last line. It's referring to the story in the other scroll we found a few weeks back isn't it? Where the shikon no tama was wished to be gone by a 'pure one'. Now to be known as one with spiritual power…a monk or priestess," Kagome asked.

"Yes," Sesshomaru confirmed. He reread the scroll again. How ironic that the humans played a role of equal importance to demons. Humans were filthy, despicable creatures. And yet…Sesshomaru glanced at Kagome. And yet not all were so.

"So the four lords who fought were comprised of demon and human?" Kagome inquired, offering her interpretation of the scroll. To use plural for demon and human in a group of four meant there had to be two of each.

"Not necessarily lords. Power often equates to lordship in demon culture, but not with humans," Sesshomaru replied.

"Then the 'four of power'…?" Kagome prompted.

"Power of the soul. Two demons and two humans, almost certainly with spiritual power," Sesshomaru clarified.

Kagome stared hard at the scroll. "To think that the shikon no tama was made from _four _powerful souls…gods help us," she muttered grimly. This was bad. Four souls combined and then warped by this 'darkness' the scroll mentioned. It was no wonder the shikon no tama was so powerful – so dangerous. And if Naraku got his way, it would be back. Kagome remembered the ravaged village with a shudder.

"Hm. This Sesshomaru makes his own destiny," he arrogantly intoned at her reference to the gods.

She looked up at the self-important demon. While Kagome wanted to snort at his attitude, his sheer determination and confidence stayed her breath. It was comforting to know that in the face of a daunting, mostly unknown enemy, there was an even more daunting and fearless demon at her side. He was like an immovable mountain, and Kagome couldn't help but smile at him. It was no wonder so many followed and relied on the demon lord, despite his icy personality.

"Yes, we will shape our own futures," Kagome quietly agreed. Sesshomaru bore his intense gaze into her, studying her. She cleared her throat awkwardly under the inspection.

"Uh…so what had you ready to rip off someone's head when I came in here?" she tried to nonchalantly divert his attention.

She learned swiftly not to ever utter words like "worried", "concerned", "upset", "stressed", or any other 'weak' adjective like that to describe him. Violence and anger seemed to be the only acceptable emotions he recognized. He tried to appear so impervious, yet did he not feel? Kagome _knew _there was more to him, but didn't understand why he would want to hide it, at least not in front of friends…pack. She vaguely wondered if he did consider her a friend.

The silence dragged on.

"War. My scouts report movement in the North," Sesshomaru allowed, relaxing his guard. "Ryura has rallied an army at the edge of my borders."

Kagome let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Her eyes warmed as she recognized his words were for her. Sesshomaru may never admit openly that she was his friend, but actions speak for him. He was permitting this bond by confiding in her.

However the news was less than welcome. "War? How many soldiers?" she asked, voice tight. Figures the dragon lord would cause trouble _after _he secures his spot. And predictably with Sesshomaru, in the midst of a lunatic's perverse plan for world destruction. The demon lord never gets a break.

"Thousands," came Sesshomaru's punched response.

Kagome's eyes rounded like saucers. "_Thousands?_" she asked incredulously. He remained silent, confirming the statement. She gulped, trying to focus on something more productive than the panic bubbling up in her chest. "Are peace negotiations out of the question?"

"I have sent countless letters to Ryura seeking such, but he has denied all war like activities," Sesshomaru growled out, allowing his rage to seep into his eyes and contort his face. Kagome was probably the only person he would willingly admit his failure and frustrations to. He could trust Inuyasha and Seri, but he still needed to appear flawless in front of them. He had to be a strong, invincible alpha.

Sesshomaru faintly wondered why it was different with Kagome. Why could he share his worries and inadequacies with her? 'Because she is also an alpha. Because she does not judge. She understands, and has never expected this one to be perfect,' his mind provided.

It was true. Considering the unusual way they met, she already knew he wasn't invincible. He did not have to put up any farces with her. Besides, the alpha female was supposed to support the alpha male. Sesshomaru knew she was the alpha female in his pack, at least until he found a mate. He had gotten past the phase of denial. Human or not, after she had proved herself so many times, his instincts just didn't allow him to classify her as anything less. The mere thought of a mate bumping the miko down to beta seemed too foreign to consider as a possibility at the moment. Sesshomaru quickly pushed the errant thought to the back of his mind. He intended on living for many centuries to come so a mate could wait.

Kagome knew Sesshomaru was intelligent enough to try various different approaches to start peace talks. If none of them worked, then maybe the dragon demon was not as honorable as they had hoped. She would not further question Sesshomaru methods and belittle his efforts in doing so. She trusted his word that it was futile. "How do the numbers compare with the Western army's?" she tentatively asked instead.

"The Western army is approximately 80% smaller. The dragons are continuously at war. It is engrained into their blood to battle," Sesshomaru monotonously said.

Kagome gave a sharp intake of breath at the number disparity.

"The Western Army is better trained. This Sesshomaru believes the armies will be equally matched. Once this one defeats their leader, the army will fall," he reassured.

Kagome nodded. "I'll help too."

"No," Sesshomaru immediately said.

"What? Why?" Kagome rebelled.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, but his glare had long since lost effect on her. "I am alpha. Do not question my order."

"I am a miko – both warrior and healer! If someone is threatening my friends and the peaceful people of this land, then I will fight to protect them. Inuyasha is pack, yet you let him defend the West," Kagome retaliated.

"Inuyasha is fully trained, and as beta, it is his duty. Your place is here in the palace as a healer," Sesshomaru growled out. He was pleased she felt such loyalty and protectiveness, but he would not have her join this battle.

"It's fine if you just want me to heal, but I want to be by your side. I will go with the army and heal them in the back. I can help. I'll be able to replenish your forces much fast –"

Sesshomaru cut her off. "Fool! This is not a human war. Youkai can easily speed around the front lines and take out the weak in the back. Many also have flight. The flank is not safe."

"I can defend. I'll put up a barrier, and my shot is true. I may not have mastered my training yet, but I can definitely take care of a few scavenging demons!" she argued.

"I, myself, have ordered skilled assassins to pick off healers and reinforcing troops in times of war. Experienced assassins are like shadows. You will not even seem them coming," he retorted. The argument was clearly escalating. Sesshomaru had not anticipated such resistance, but he was stubborn.

"Do you trust me so little? Do you think nothing of my abilities?" Kagome whispered, her voice cracking.

Sesshomaru tightened his jaw. 'She did not have to phrase it that way!' He did not like the heartbroken look in her pleading eyes. He did not like the quaver in her voice. He did not like how she ducked her face away from his sight. "Miko," he quietly called. Her head was still downcast. "Kagome," he said even softer.

She met his eyes at the sound of her name. This was the first time he said her given name outside of formal introductions.

"You will remain at the palace. There is a tribe of raccoon demons loyal to the West, capable of transformation and flight. They are poor fighters, but will serve well to transport injured and healed soldiers to and from the palace. You will heal, but at a distance," he explained.

"By flight, it will take at least two hours. It might be too late for some," Kagome weakly protested.

"A youkai war is long. Ferrying supplies and food to the army is already taking a significant effort. It is unwise to add more with medical goods. The palace is protected and well stocked. It is the best for both healers and wounded." Sesshomaru paused, deciding to divulge a more personal concern. "There is no mercy in war. The fate of a youkai war prisoner is worse than death. I will not allow a member of my pack to be on the receiving end, especially not a female," he harshly warned.

The coldness of his last words sent a shiver of dread down Kagome's spine. She did not dwell on what possible atrocities he was referring to. Sesshomaru was right. Kagome sighed in defeat. She was happy the reticent demon would utter so many words to placate her, but she didn't want to sit back and watch him plunge into danger. Maybe it was silly to worry about the "Killing Perfection". However, she had seen first hand that he was not invincible. He was not an immortal. He could be killed.

Kagome struggled to express her concern without insulting the proud demon. "You will come back?" she finally stuttered out.

Sesshomaru studied the fidgeting girl. 'So that is the cause,' he thought. She was worried about _him. _"Ridiculous. This Sesshomaru is not so easily felled," he scoffed. Yet his insides warmed at her foolish words. He was skilled and experienced enough to take on any other demon, human, or beast in a straightforward battle. And his army was there basically to ensure that there would be no treachery to interfere.

He watched intrigued as the miko closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and squared her shoulders. When she next opened her eyes, her entire demeanor had changed. "That's a promise. You will live. Not a single one of our pack will perish in this foolishness. I will drag you and Inuyasha back from heaven or hell if I have to," she vowed solemly. Her eyes of blue fire were burning holes into Sesshomaru's head.

"A promise then," he conceded. A ghost of a smile graced his normally immovable face at her fiery declaration.


	18. Chapter 18

The winter had been spent accruing supplies and drafting demons to fight. Jura had gone village by village to recruit soldiers, while Inuyasha stayed at the Western Citadel to train them. Sesshomaru had spent a large surplus of finances to build civilian shelters, produce weapons and armor, and stock food.

Kagome and Seri had spent many sleepless nights experimenting with various herbs and their ability to preserve blood for storage. They had finally come up with an herb that stopped the blood clotting process once the blood was removed from the body. A large underground ice cavern usually used by the kitchen staff to keep foods was cleared out and filled with blood packets of every soldier in Sesshomaru's army. If any came back from the imminent war injured to the point of needing a blood transfusion, the blood would be available.

It was late February when the mounting tensions between the North and West finally crested and broke. A village at the Northern border of Sesshomaru's lands had been scorched to the ground. The pale crystalized earth betrayed the unnatural temperatures only attained by dragon's fire required to change its structure so drastically. There were no casualties because all the border villages had been evacuated about a month prior, but the act was as clear as any declaration of war.

In response, Sesshomaru sent out his own formal declaration of war to the North, and waited the two week grace period after his message was delivered before heading out.

The inu brothers were decked in full battle armor, both wearing armored vests with high metal collars in the back to protect the neck, heavily spiked shoulder plates, and forearm guards in place of their billowing haoris. Their hair was tied back, away from their faces. Inuyasha's was in a long braid down his back, while Sesshomaru's was secured in a low ponytail. They looked foreign, yet stunning all the same.

Kagome came up to Inuyasha, fixing a shoulder plate that was askew. She tugged and pulled, making sure no latch was left untightened.

"Alright, wench! Anymore and you're gonna suffocate me," Inuyasha griped, blushing under the attention. No one had done things like this since his mother died. He would never tell Kagome he secretly liked how she fussed over him. It was already embarrassing enough with his brother staring at their every movement.

At his words, Kagome yanked on his fuzzy ear to bring him down to eye level. She cut his yowl short. "Don't you dare die, Inuyasha," she threateningly warned.

He stopped squirming and really looked at her. Kagome, his best friend turned pack mate and sister. She had accepted him faster than his own blood had, and offered the affection he had so sorely lacked growing up. She was Kagome, and she was irreplaceable. Giving her a cocky grin, he said, "Don't be stupid. I'm not dying anytime soon, so don't hold your breath. You're stuck with me as a brother no matter what."

Kagome gave a weak smile. Why couldn't she shake off the forboding? It had been getting stronger by the minute, and she didn't know what it was. Was it really just her nerves from sending her 'family' off to war?

Trying her best to appear calm, she turned her attention to Sesshomaru. He was impeccable as always. She placed her palm on his breastplate, feeling the reiki she had blessed the outfit with respond reassuringly. Both his and Inuyasha's clothing and armor were heavily imbued with reiki. She had sapped her strength many times making them. They would be protected by even a few strikes from a daiyoukai, possibly one wind scar. So why were all her instincts telling her something horrible was going to happen?

"Something isn't right. I don't know what it is, but I can't shake it," Kagome finally voiced her dread. Inuyasha gave his characteristic "Keh!", but Sesshomaru turned to her fully. He looked at her, waiting for her to elaborate.

Kagome sighed. "I don't know. Just, something is wrong. Maybe there is a trap. Please watch out. Be careful," she mumbled, shaking her head. It was frustrating she couldn't give them more detail.

Sesshomaru caught her eyes and nodded firmly. He took her warning seriously, trusting her judgement. While the miko's self preserving instincts weren't particularly keen, she had sound intellect and an uncanny ability to read both people and situations.

Nevertheless, they could not stall on this matter. Sesshomaru mounted Ah Un, and Inuyasha hopped onto his demon mare. Kagome remained rooted until their silhouettes merged with the rest of the army, and then disappeared over the horizon. She had the irrational urge to run and scream for them to come back, or at least for them to bring her with them. Grinding her teeth together, she turned on her heel and headed inside to wait. Waiting was always the worst part.

"Hey, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha called, kicking his horse to catch up to his brother. "Do you think Kagome's feeling might be something more?" he gruffly asked.

"It should be explored. At nightfall, I will go ahead of the army and join the scouts to explore the border," Sesshomaru informed in a tone just loud enough for Inuyasha to catch. Even at demon speeds, the army would take at least 2 days by foot to travel to the border where they would most likely engage the enemy.

Hundreds of Northern army tents were pitched about five miles in from the border. The numerous torches and camp fires lit the area like a cloudless winter night. Sesshomaru stealthily ran the length of the enemy camp. It was strange. Something was surely off, but he could not pinpoint it. The scent of dragons hung heavily in the air, along with smoke, metal, and all the other appropriate smells. He could even hear the rustling of movement from the camp that was faintly drowned out by the natural forest sounds.

Sesshomaru stopped.

That was it. No animals would stay anywhere near a demon camp, especially not one this size. And yet, the forest was very much alive with activity. Upon deeper inhalation, Sesshomaru picked up the hint of magic. It could mean only one thing: an illusion.

Sesshomaru burst into his golden orb, no longer needing stealth, and streaked across the night sky back toward his army. It all made sense now - Ryura denying war preparations so adamantly, his counter accusation of the very same, the lack of warning before his spies reported the huge force at the border. If he was in corporeal form, he would have snarled. The miko's forboding was accurate. This was a trap.

"Inuyasha, call a retreat. Jura, send the fastest messenger to the North. The supposed Northern army scouted at the border was an illusion. Someone is trying to pit the North and West against each other. Rescind the war declaration and ask Ryura to stand down. This Sesshomaru will not follow another's whims," Sesshomaru demanded as soon as he landed. Inuyasha muttered a string of curses before swiftly sounding the retreat. Jura stood shocked for but a moment, and then whistled high for a falcon demon.

Seeing his orders carried out, Sesshomaru orbed back to see if he could find a trace of the illusionist. Now that he knew what he was looking for, Sesshomaru was miffed he didn't notice the lattice of magic earlier. He had to hand it to the illusionist. It was well done, affecting all five senses, but his instincts were tingling.

Ten minutes later, Sesshomaru stalked up to the demon behind the lattice. The demon seemed to be meditating atop a large paper crane. Faster than most demons could follow, Sesshomaru propelled forward, materializing in front of the unsuspecting illusionist. The demon just barely opened his eyes as Sesshomaru grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the crane.

Sesshomaru's eyes were glowing an eerie red as he glared at the petrified demon. "Who are you? Who do you work for?" he interrogated in a threateningly quiet baritone. He could feel the captured demon shiver and quake uncontrollably. Sesshomaru smiled menacingly at the pure fear exuding from his prey. His claws elongated, piercing the demon's neck.

"Byakuya!" the illusionist yelped in pain. "I am Byakuya, a detachment of Naraku's.

Sesshomaru let out a terrifying growl at the mention of Naraku. However, he couldn't sense Naraku anywhere near the vicinity. 'Where is he?' he thought frantically. If he wasn't here...

"Where is he?" Sesshomaru snarled. He hoped his intuition was wrong. But his wish would go unanswered.

Byakuya smirked at the fear and realization in the icy demon lord's eyes. It seems the ice price did care. "Why, at your precious castle, _my lord_," he sneered.

Cold panic flushed through Sesshomaru as his fears were confirmed. He wanted to question the despicable decoy more, but time was of the essence. Just as he was about to snap the illusionist's neck, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Tsk tsk. My job here is done, but if you want vengeance, you can always find me…" Byakuya's voice echoed through the forest. "…but I wouldn't dawdle if I were you…not if you ever want to see your pretty little miko again…"

Sesshomaru was already gone by the last taunt. Again, he was speeding across the sky in his orb of light. This time, the orb was not a nicely contained sphere, but a raging fireball reflecting his rampant aura. Fear's icy claws were dug deep into his heart, and the searing lava of rage pumped through his system with every constricted heartbeat. It has already been a full day since he left the citadel with a skeleton crew of soldiers and a barrier as protection. Sesshomaru prayed beyond reason that the barrier was holding. Prayed? Since when did he pray? 'Since that cretin mentioned the miko,' his mind provided. Gods why was _she_ the target? The insufferable woman always got into trouble. 'Kagome!'

The sight that greeted Sesshomaru as he landed near the citadel made his stomach drop. Around two thousand lower level demons, and hundreds of higher level demons were surrounding the castle. The guards were slaughtered. The ancestral barrier of his clan had been neutralized, and all the disgusting, slithering, bulbous bodies were invading the castle. All were heading to the very top tower where a single point of pure light shone brighter than any star. Kagome.

Sesshomaru's aura exploded in a hazy red column of light that touched the black sky. An earth shattering roar announced his fully transformed presence to the enemy army. The howl was heard across the land, and the Western army collectively began speeding back to the citadel. But it would be much too late.

Sesshomaru pounced into the middle of the courtyard, crushing dozens of demons with his large paws before they even had time to react. Acrid poison rained down on the army as he bit into several others with his large muzzle and flung the carcasses across the castle. The rest of Naraku's army looked on in shocked terror as great dog demon took out a hundred demons in mere seconds.

Kagome was in an equal state of shock at seeing Sesshomaru's true form for the first time. He was horrifying, a monster from your worst nightmares. He was Death's wrath personified. Another deafening roar made Kagome jump. Every fine hair was standing on end and chills were rocking her body. Her knees buckled and she dropped to the floor. But she processed nothing. All she could think of was the gigantic white dog demon with smoldering crimson eyes and green acid dripping from every claw and fang. She sucked in a few shuddering breaths.

"Kill him!" Naraku's voice rang out, and the demons were once again set in motion.

Kagome watched as the very air around Sesshomaru darkened with masses of lower demons. The great dog demon thrashed, mauled, and snapped at the wave, but for every demon killed, more filled its place. There were just too many. Her blue eyes widened in horror as one of the higher demons transformed into a large cobra demon and coiled around the dog's lower half.

There was a sickening crunch of crushed bone as the snake tightened around one of the dog's hind legs. "NOO!" Kagome screamed. The great dog was terrifying as it battled, but it was still Sesshomaru. He had somehow figured out the deception, and came rushing back to the citadel. He threw himself into an army of thousands, with no backup. He was fighting so ferociously for her – to protect her. And he would die without help.

Her arrows were long gone, but she could still fire reiki balls from her bare hands. Flooding her palms with raw energy, Kagome shot a large one right into the cobra, instantly purifying the beast. It wasn't the smartest move, for as soon as her aura dissipated, Naraku and his void demon incarnate were focused on her.

Kagome instantly wrapped herself in a reiki barrier. It wouldn't do much good for she had seen Naraku break the barrier around the citadel with a strange artifact earlier that day.

Flashback

Naraku and his minions had ambushed the citadel at noon, a few hours after Sesshomaru's army left. When the barrier wavered and collapsed from a simple touch of the artifact, Kagome had ushered all the healers and servants into an underground escape tunnel that Seri had unveiled.

But she knew that unless someone distracted Naraku, no one would be able to escape. Once everyone had gone into the tunnel, Kagome had sealed the path with a powerful reiki barrier. Seri immediately noticed and flipped out. She yelled and screamed and begged for Kagome to come with them practically clawing at the barrier between them. Kagome had smiled softly at the gesture but stayed resolute. She would delay those bastards for as long as possible to ensure the people she had grown to care for got out safely, even if it meant her death.

She ran to the highest tower in the castle and began shooting arrows into the fray. There was no need to aim because the demons were everywhere. Kagome quickly noticed that none of the demons were even trying to search for the underground tunnel. In fact, they were focused on just her. So she had settled into keeping a reiki barrier around herself, flaring her powers only when she saw Naraku getting close to prevent him from using the artifact.

End flashback

However, it seemed Naraku was done toying with her. He had watched her drain her powers for over half a day, but with Sesshomaru's arrival, he was finally getting serious. Kagome was helpless as Naraku and his void demon flew within attacking distance. She had used too much energy already to manage a large enough flare now to keep them at bay.

"Pity your soul is needed to complete the jewel, otherwise I would have made you my pet. It was delicious watching you struggle fruitlessly against me. The _feel _of your desperation was thrilling. How does it feel to watch your protector charge to his death for your sake? You are his weakness. The Great Lord of the West felled from taking in a human ward. Are you watching, _Kagome_?" Naraku taunted in a silkily smooth voice. Just hearing her name slide from his lips made her skin crawl.

He pointed to Sesshomaru, who was still surrounded by demons. There was so much blood on him already. His pure white fur was matted and darkly stained. Kagome couldn't make out how much of it was Sesshomaru's own.

"Yes, watch him. Know as I take your soul that he will die," Naraku whispered into her ear.

Kagome fired another reiki sphere at Naraku, which was easily avoided. She was shaking from the emotional turmoil caused by his words. It was stupid to listen to the enemy. Yet she could not deny the touch of truth backing Naraku's taunts. Kagome was not egotistical enough to believe that Sesshomaru fought solely for her, but he would not abandon her. No, Sesshomaru had too much honor for that. That only made her guilt rise. If she was just a little smarter, or a little stronger, she may not be in this situation. And Sesshomaru would not be fighting a losing battle.

"No," Kagome breathed. "He will not die. Not if I can help it." She then turned toward Sesshomaru and began concentrating. The last of her reiki was swiftly gathering in her palm, but instead of expanding larger, the orb became denser.

Naraku, sensing the change, immediately ordered, "Kanna, suck her soul out now!" Kanna, the small void demon lifted her mirror. The tendrils of magic reached Kagome right after she let loose the small, but extremely concentrated dose of reiki.

The reiki orb surged across the battlefield almost as fast as a beam of light. It landed next to Sesshomaru and created a large purification explosion. All the demons around him were instantly purified.

Sesshomaru took the opening from Kagome's attack and rushed toward her before the remaining demons had a chance to surround him again.

_Crack!_

Kanna's mirror broke, and all the whispy white pieces of Kagome's soul flew back out. "Her soul is too large," she lifelessly commented.

Naraku glared incredulously at the small white girl like demon. "What?" Naraku thundered. This was not in his calculations. Kanna was supposed to collect the miko's soul and he was to escape well before Sesshomaru returned from an unnecessary war, only to find his home completely destroyed. The miko was supposed to perish, and both the North and West were supposed to be left irreparably weakened.

However, Naraku had taken into account the possibility that the trap illusion would not come to fruition. In the event Sesshomaru came back before his departure, Kanna would be his ticket out. But during all his scenarios, never had he anticipated that he would fail at his mission to collect the damned miko's soul.

Now it was too late. Sesshomaru was already upon them, growling and ready to tear him to pieces. Naraku snarled in frustration. He would have to enact his alternate escape plan and leave empty handed.

Sesshomaru pounced snapping his jaws around the barrier surrounding Naraku and his incarnate. The barrier held even as he ground his fangs together, attempting to crush the protective bubble. However it was only a matter of time. The barrier would soon succumb to his greater youki.

Naraku snatched Kanna up by the back of her neck and flayed her open from chest to pelvis. The void demon's blood sprayed forth, coating the inside of Sesshomaru's mouth. Naraku was careful to avoid all of her blood as he shook the small, exsanguinated void girl dry and flung her disemboweled remains into the mouth of the beast.

The blood burned Sesshomaru's mouth, but the excruciating pain didn't stop there. It raced through his entire being, ripping a roar from his throat as he released Naraku. The pain didn't stop. No, it felt like he was getting purified from the inside out. His youki flared violently as he tried to fight whatever was happening to him.

Naraku narrowly avoided another swipe from Sesshomaru. His barrier was greatly diminished after deflecting Sesshomaru's monstrous jaws. It wouldn't hold up against another hit. Naraku cursed, taking one last look at the miko slumped on the ground behind the demon dog before flying off and disappearing in a cloud of miasma.

Naraku was gone, but Sesshomaru continued to struggle vigorously. His youki was dissipating fast. He looked over his shoulder at the miko still unconscious. She was completely vulnerable. Howling for his beta and army to get here faster, Sesshomaru grappled with the unknown force consuming him and positioned himself protectively over the miko. Naraku had left his army of lesser demons and reiki wielders to die. They were still following the mindless command to kill him. Sesshomaru fought to take as many down with him as possible.

Distantly, he could already hear Inuyasha's howl in response to his call. He just had to hold out for a little longer. Even as the thought crossed his mind, Sesshomaru's massive dog form shrank back to his humanoid form. He didn't have enough youki to maintain it anymore.

Still he stood in front of Kagome, panting and heaving from the exertion and strain of his agony. Sesshomaru was thankful that in this form, the miko's protective charm on his clothes and armor worked, for he was practically paralyzed by the torment. A blue barrier of purity served as his only defense while he haphazardly attacked the demons swarming him.

No more was the stoic, pristinely dressed demon lord. His face was feral and contorted, his bloodied robes hung loose, and he swayed with every sword stroke. A particularly painful throb of his heart brought Sesshomaru down on one knee, bakusaiga reduced to a mere staff propping him up.

Sesshomaru trembled as he forced himself to stand. But he couldn't move. He howled a long, baleful cry. Just as the reiki barrier flickered and collapsed under the abuse, the Western army arrived. A cold numbness was seeping deep into Sesshomaru's bones. His senses were shot, as he watched the surreal scene of his brother's wind scar dispersing the demons and the soldiers finishing them off. All he could do was fall over Kagome, hoping his body would protect her until they reached them. A blurred figure in red was the last thing Sesshomaru saw as his eyes rolled into his head and he finally fell into the abyss.


	19. Chapter 19

Kagome awoke from her deep sleep to the sound of Inuyasha and Seri's squawking.

"Kagome! Are you alright? How do you feel? Does anywhere hurt? Don't scare us like that wench! Don't move! What do you need?"

"Ahh I get it! You're smothering me," Kagome groused. She was only a little tired, and none too worse for wear. Looking around, she was missing the one face she most wanted to see. "Where is Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha and Seri looked at each other in discomfort before avoiding Kagome's eyes.

Kagome immediately noticed something was wrong. "Guys?" Silence answered her. Kagome's questioning gaze turned murderous. "Where. Is. Sesshomaru." She quietly bit out. Her tone left no room for argument.

Seri haltingly began. "He's unconscious…He…It…"

"He's cursed," Inuyasha blurted out. "Sesshomaru scouted ahead and figured out that the whole Northern army sighting was fake, and basically zoomed back here." He paused, unable to trust his cracking voice for the next part. The memory of finding his brother's fallen figure made him want to puke. Inuyasha had NEVER seen Sesshomaru like that, and he never ever wanted to again.

"We were too slow catching up. Sesshomaru had easily killed like half of Naraku's army. There weren't any truly strong opponents. He would have been able to take them all on if it wasn't for…" Inuyasha trailed off again. He fumbled to get his emotions under control.

"The curse of the void demon," Seri ended for him.

"Void demon…Kanna! She was trying to suck out my soul with a mirror, but the mirror cracked and my soul came flying back into me. I was knocked out after that," Kagome supplied. Inuyasha flattened his ears at hearing how close he was to losing not one, but two members of his already small pack.

"I'm guessing Sesshomaru attacked that Kanna and Naraku. But if a void demon willingly gives up his life, their blood can be used to cast a curse," Inuyasha continued.

Kagome didn't like where this was leading. "What kind of curse?" she asked, afraid to know the answer.

Both Seri and Inuyasha turned haunted eyes to Kagome. Her heart sank further. "Any who touch the blood of a void demon sacrifice will have their soul cast into darkness, forever to repeat his worst, and most terrifying memories," came Seri's pained whisper.

"Sesshomaru was covered in the stuff. I could smell it," Inuyasha confirmed. He looked at Kagome with broken eyes. "He's not waking up," he said, defeated.

Kagome was out of the infirmary bed and running to the private room where she felt Sesshomaru's presence before Inuyasha or Seri could react. She blew apart the barrier enclosing the room with her reiki and rushed to his bedside.

Seri and Inuyasha quickly caught up to her and immediately reenacted the barrier so no sound would be heard. The citadel would be in utter chaos if word of Sesshomaru's condition got out. Seri knew what was to come, and her heart broke further at seeing the shell shocked girl hovering over the fallen lord.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome hesitantly asked, reaching over to his face, only to stop centimeters from his face. Her eyes glazed over with unshed tears. "Sesshomaru!" she shouted, cupping his ashen cheek. His skin was so cool and clammy under her hand. He was covered in cold sweat, and his body would involuntarily twitch as he battled an unseen enemy within his mind. Small growls and whimpers occasionally escaped from his pale lips.

"Oh gods," Kagome choked.

"I healed all his physical wounds, but there is nothing else I can do. It's already been a day since he was in this state," Seri explained. "Kagome," she called, trying to draw her eyes away from the demon lord.

"Kagome, we have to put him to sleep," Seri broke the verbal bomb to her as gently as she could.

At her words, Kagome tore her eyes away from Sesshomaru to glare at Seri in shocked horror. "NO! What the hell are you talking about? We are NOT going to kill him! I won't let you!" Kagome raged.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha grabbed her shoulders. "It's already been a day since he's been in this state. He's suffering, trapped in his mind, until his body weakens and dies. It'd be cruel to prolong his suffering anymore. We just wanted you to say your goodbyes before we did it."

Kagome looked at the two in disbelief. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT! How can you give up so easily!" shouted her grief. She knew it was unfair to blame them, but she couldn't stop the harsh accusation from escaping her mouth.

They both looked away from the borderline hysterical girl.

"Please," Kagome begged. "There has to be some way. You said he was trapped within his own mind right? So the void is trapping him right? I'm a miko, can't I just purify the darkness out of him?" She was grasping at straws.

Seri looked at Kagome, really looked at her. She saw it then. Swimming in the girl's desperate blue eyes was the love. Kagome was in love with Sesshomaru. She was willing to sacrifice herself just to see him live. Seri's eyes darkened. In her long years, she had seen a way to break the curse before, but if it didn't work, she would lose both members of her pack. Seri sighed.

"I have seen this curse broken only once," Seri admitted, knowing Kagome would jump at the possibility. She just hoped her faith in the miko wasn't misplaced. "A long long time ago, I have seen a miko break the curse on her lover by using her reiki to connect their minds and destroy the darkness from the inside out."

Kagome's eyes fired with hope.

"But that was over a thousand years ago, and all subsequent mikos have failed," Seri quickly warned. "If the miko doesn't manage to destroy the darkness, she too gets consumed by it and dies."

Inuyasha's expression turned pensive. He understood the huge risk that Kagome would be taking for a farfetched chance that both survived. "Kagome, I don't know if this is a good idea," he started to dissuade her.

"I have to try, Inuyasha," she pleaded.

One look, and Inuyasha knew there was no convincing the stubborn woman. "Fine, but you can't do it until you are at full strength," he set the condition.

"What! No, look at him, Inuyasha! He's reliving some horrible experience and you expect me to sleep on it?" Kagome protested.

"How about you seek someone to train you to create the link?" Seri placated.

Kagome quieted. It was a good point. She was in no state to heal anyone. Besides, she had never formed a 'soul link' before. "I will go to Kaede," she made up her mind. Turning back to Sesshomaru, her eyes softened. "Don't give up. Wait for me, Sesshomaru," she whispered into his ear. Kissing him on the forehead, she left the room.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha called after her.

"To my village, to my mentor," Kagome said matter of factly.

"You need rest. You can't save him if you work yourself to exhaustion," Inuyasha insisted. Kagome gave him a pointed look. He had lost this argument before he even opened his mouth. Inuyasha grumbled something about stubborn women worse than his brother. "Dammit, I'm coming with you then!"

It was night fall when Kagome and Inuyasha, who were riding Vallen and Areta, arrived at the Holy village.

"Child, ye have not visited since winter's first breath," Kaede exclaimed. Her next admonishment caught in her throat. "What is wrong, dear?"

"Hello Kaede, it's been awhile. Naraku has been wreaking havoc so everything's a mess. But I will try to visit more," she said, her voice lacking the normal warmth and gush of emotion.

Kaede studied Kagome with sad eyes. "Well, come in child. We will discuss this over supper." Inuyasha fidgeted, unsure of himself. He had never been in a village of spiritual being, and most humans hated him. "You too, hanyou," Kaede added without any disrespect.

"Inuyasha. This is Inuyasha. Inuyasha, meet Kaede, my mentor and surrogate grandmother since I was orphaned," Kagome stiffly introduced. She was so distracted by Sesshomaru's state that she couldn't function.

Once they were settled in, Kaede turned her questioning eyes to Inuyasha since Kagome was obviously lost in her thoughts. Inuyasha quickly filled her in on the situation and their purpose for coming.

Kaede moved to make them some tea after the meal that Kagome merely picked at. As soon as Kagome finished her tea, her cup dropped to the floor.

"Kaede?" she asked, confused.

"Ye need to rest, child. I will teach you what you need to know come morning. That was just a simple sleeping draught," Kaede soothed.

Kagome's eyes shined with protest even as she slumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder. She was out in seconds. Inuyasha gently laid Kagome down and covered her up with a blanket.

"Keh, you know her well," Inuyasha commented. They both knew Kagome would not have drunk it had she known the effects, nor would she have slept willingly. "Sesshomaru will last another week before he gets too weak. But Kagome just recovered. I'm not gonna lose both of them cuza her hard head," he gruffly said.

"Aye," Kaede calmly agreed. The Kagome she saw was too distraught to do anything. Some rest would help clear the girl's thoughts and prepare her for the challenge to come.

The next morning, Kagome came to her senses without the mind numbing panic clouding her spirit. She had to admit, the sleep was necessary. Nonetheless, she refused to stay for much longer. Spiritual links were usually second nature to mikos. She'd learn how to make this bond fast and get back to Sesshomaru's side. Kagome was too focused to reflect on why she was feeling this way.

By noon, Kagome had successfully formed, and broken a soul bond with Inuyasha three times. It was incredibly uncomfortable feeling his most personal thoughts and feelings invaded, but he did not utter a single complaint as Kagome practiced on him.

Kagome was in no mood to sit for lunch, and so she and Inuyasha departed from the village right after her practice.

Seri looked like she had aged twenty years when they touched down at the castle. Her eyes were haunted, and her face was gaunt, like she hadn't been sleeping or eating since they had left.

Kagome's stony mask fell at the sight. "Get some rest Seri. Sesshomaru will be upset at you when he wakes up and sees you looking like the walking dead."

Seri was pleased to see the determination blazing in the miko's eyes. She squared her own shoulders to meet the strength staring back at her. "You are right. I should rest and ask the cook to prepare Lord Sesshomaru's favorite dishes." They looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. Seri was handing Sesshomaru to Kagome, and both refused to think of the consequences should this attempt fail. Neither would go there.

Kagome almost lost it when she entered Sesshomaru's room in the infirmary. Thrashing on the bed was the great demon lord. His claws were wrapped thickly in soft gauze, and his limbs were chained down to prevent him from hurting himself. No wonder Seri looked so bad.

Sesshomaru convulsed again, and a high keening whine sounded from his sore throat. The sound was so utterly foreign, Kagome took a moment to process where, or who it had come from. Sesshomaru was _whimpering_.

Inuyasha couldn't stand it anymore. He didn't think his brother was capable of making such pathetic sounds until now. Never had he seen his pureblooded brother whine, beg, or ask for help. But the unnatural wails coming from him were unmistakable even to his hanyou ears. They were a clear call for help, for someone to save him from whatever torture he was reliving.

"Shit," Inuyasha muttered. He wanted to flay Naraku one strip of skin at a time for what he did to Sesshomaru. Yet he was completely helpless. "Goddammit," he cursed before storming out of the room. Inuyasha was sure he was never supposed to hear such sounds from his brother. He would forever have this moment burned into his unwilling memory.

Seri met Inuyasha outside the door with a knowing look. "Sesshomaru's in good hands. Let's rest. You look like you haven't slept for weeks," she comforted. However neither moved away from the door where Kagome and Sesshomaru were shut behind. Both would keep vigilance until they emerged.


	20. Chapter 20

*Author Note: Okay this is where the story gets a true MA rating. This chapter goes into exactly what horrors Sesshomaru is reliving. Don't read it if you don't like unpleasantness. There will be a brief summary of key points without the gritty details at the beginning of the next chapter so you won't miss anything if you don't read this chapter. You have been warned! Read at your own discretion.*

Inside, Kagome was sitting on a chair next to Sesshomaru. She tenderly laid her hand on his exposed stomach. It was one of the few places she could maintain physical contact with him considering how much he was writhing in bed.

Kagome took a deep, cleansing breathe and closed her eyes, recounting Kaede's teachings.

'_Keep physical contact with the person you are soul bonding at all times. Settle into a meditative state and feel out his soul with your reiki. Imagine your soul elongating and flowing out your hand and into the other person just like your powers. Blend your aura with his, become one, and the soul bond is complete.'_

Suddenly, Kagome felt herself getting sucked into Sesshomaru's soul. But instead of the flash of light that she had seen with Inuyasha, there was only darkness. Liquid ink. Kagome couldn't see anything. No memories or thoughts like she had felt before. _'What happened?'_ she thought to herself, worried she had somehow messed up the link already.

Then she heard it. Voices. They were faint, so faint. She flared her powers brighter. The empty dark world around her soon lightened and the voices became more solid. She would soon wish everything had stayed dark and blurred.

The scene before her was enough to make her hurl. They were in some sort of dank dungeon. There were no windows, or natural light. Three torches lining the cold stone room were the only sources of light. But it was what was inside the room that stole her breath away.

Stripped bare and shackled to the ground in a spread eagle pose was a young boy, no more than seven or eight years old. His long silver hair, crescent moon, and gold eyes gave away his identity. Sesshomaru. But he was not the Sesshomaru Kagome knew. He was so…_young._ His wide eyes were still filled with childish innocence, and his rounded face read like an open book. This wasn't the cold and calculating Lord of the West.

Suddenly, the dungeon door banged open, and a string of twenty or so men filed into the room, speaking crudely, and laughing rancorously. Young Sesshomaru immediately stilled in fear.

"My my, what do we have here? Those dragons said they had a treat for us mercenaries. I never thought we'd get a royal little bitch," one said. "Men, why don't we show him some hospitality." Their snickers echoed through the room as they stripped down one by one.

Young Sesshomaru wasn't sure what was going on. He had been tortured by the dragon demons for over two months now. They broke bone, just to see how fast he could mend. They whipped him, just to hear him scream. If it wasn't for his demon blood, he would have died long ago. But the Great Inu no Taisho's blood ran in his veins, and he vowed to survive this as well. "Get away from me!" he shouted from his supine position. The growl was vibrating his chest, but the effect was no more frightening than a scrawny puppy.

"Oh ho! Got some fire still left in you huh? It'll be all the more fun breaking you," another mercenary chimed. They were crowding around the small dog demon now. Smiling wickedly, the man knelt down and began petting his exposed inner thigh. "Mmm, not only do you look like a girl, you're soft like one too."

Young Sesshomaru flinched from his touch, but couldn't move his leg away any farther. The chains were reinforced metal designed to hold demons. His hair was standing on end in disgust. The smell of these grimy soldiers, covered in blood, sweat, dirt, and urine was enough to to make him gag. "Don't touch me!" he snarled, baring his small fangs. The men only laughed harder.

"Are you untouched? Dragons really don't know anything about passion," a mercenary mocked. "Let me teach you what passion is all about."

He roughly grabbed the boy's bottom and lifted it up as high as the chains would allow. He positioned his large, rock-hard penis at Sesshomaru's anus and slammed himself in to the hilt.

"AHHhhhhhhhhunnnggg," Sesshomaru screamed in pain, his back arching off the ground. His sphincters were torn apart and blood oozed around the plugged entrance. The man relentlessly pounded into the hole that was much too small to accommodate his girth. Each thrust produced a new wave of blood. Young Sesshomaru couldn't think past the agony, only scream, and scream, and scream.

The chains were pulled taut from the mercenary's brutal assault, and each plunge caused the shackles to bite deep into Sesshomaru's tender flesh. Sesshomaru was hoarse by the time the onslaught was over and a sordid heat gushed into his destroyed rectum.

With a grunt, the mercenary finally pulled out and a copious amount of blood and viscous seed poured from his hole. The sensation was utterly repulsive. Never had the boy felt so filthy and violated.

Before the heave of Sesshomaru's chest could subside, another man spread his trembling pale legs and mounted him. The throb in his backside intensified to a searing flame. Sesshomaru tried to squirm away, but the oversized male only tightened his grubby hands, leaving soiled fingerprints on his translucent fair skin. Before long, another squirt of thick, pungent fluid filled the boy's dark, swollen hole.

The debauchery continued until all the men had a turn. They spat on and kicked him a few times before donning their clothes and exiting the dungeon in a lighthearted fashion that belied the crime they just committed. Sesshomaru lay on the floor, still chained in a spread eagle. His once silky alabaster skin was now riddled with ugly purple bruises and bloodied bite marks. The strong odor of sex hung in the air, and sallow ejaculate trickled down his rear, ending in a large pool of browning blood and semen underneath him. Tears were streaming ever faster down his cheeks, but his sobs were silent. His voice was broken, just like the rest of him. His body shook with the force of his sobs, and with each quiver, his ripped body protested the movement with more tears.

Kagome was shaking just as hard behind the invisible wall separating her from the scenes that played out. The shock and alarm completely rooted her. She couldn't do anything. Her vision blurred as the unshed tears accumulated. 'This was a memory? He had been defiled like this in his past?' Kagome didn't want to believe it. And yet the scenes didn't stop.

Dark mist blocked Kagome's view for a moment before revealing young Sesshomaru again. It was the same dungeon, but this time, he was tied down such that he was kneeling with his rear pulled up into the air and his neck choked to the ground. His hands were cuffed behind his back. He began his futile struggle as soon as the door opened.

"No…NO!" Sesshomaru cried. The men didn't miss a beat as they kneeled behind him and began probing his entrance. "Healed perfectly. That rosy little ring turns me on everytime," the men leered. A pitiful whine escaped from young Sesshomaru's lips when one rubbed his anus and stuck a thumb in. Another soldier began teasing his small limp penis, drawing it into his rancid mouth.

Sesshomaru choked on a sob and squeezed his eyes shut. If only he could block out the vile sensations as easily as his sight. Suddenly his eyes flew wide open and he twisted his head sideways to see what the abnormally large thing pushing into him was. Sesshomaru's mouth fell open in a silent scream as he watched two full grown men trying to mount him at the same time. They were having difficulty getting both dicks into his petite, undeveloped body. "Fuck," one cursed and shoved harder.

Sesshomaru could feel his lower region tear as the two forced themselves in. He shrieked and lordosed off the ground when they managed to seat themselves completely. Sesshomaru felt like he was getting split in half. Then they moved.

"Ah, Father!" Sesshomaru screamed for help. "Father! Mother!...Anyone! Save me! Help…help..help," he repeatedly yelped and bawled. The men laughed darkly and rammed into the boy even harder, jarring him into silence. Sesshomaru's knees were lifted off the ground as they started thrusting faster. Gold eyes were slowly glazing over and darkening in hopeless despair.

"Scream, bitch!" one of the rapists demanded. He drew a dagger and dragged the blade across one of Sesshomaru's tight butt cheeks. The boy gave a heartwrenching whimper.

"Louder!" The man cut deeper, but Sesshomaru remained quiet. He was already lost, his consciousness drifting away from his body.

The man who was slobbering on his privates crawled out from underneath and suggested, "If he won't scream properly, how 'bout we cut off his nipple? He's a demon, so he'll heal like nothing happened. The dragons said we could do whatever as long as he stayed alive."

"Ohh, good idea! Let's give him a dick piercing too so we can pull on it everytime he stops screaming," another added. By now, Sesshomaru's half lidded eyes were unseeing, and his pointed ears were unhearing.

Kagome couldn't stand it anymore. She had been beating on the invisible wall, screaming for the men to stop since Sesshomaru's cry for help had woken her from her stupor. It was stupid since this was a memory that had already happened. But she couldn't stop the screams from falling.

"Please stop! Please! He's just a boy! How could you?" Kagome shouted uselessly. She would never forget these horrid images, but her eyes refused to avert. "Sesshomaru…Sesshomaru," she chanted like a mantra. Gods she felt so helpless! How could she save him? How could she protect him?

The mercenary pinched the boy's nipple ruthlessly and began sawing away at the underside of it.

"NO! NO MORE!" Kagome shrieked. "Sesshomaru! Can't you see me? Look at me!" She beat on the invisible wall harder. Her body felt like it was on fire. Unknown to her, Kagome's entire being was blazing light blue, so pale it was near white.

_Sesshomaru…Sesshomaru…_

Young Sesshomaru had shut down his mind, curling himself up and burying deep in his conscious. 'What is that?' he thought. Who was calling him? He couldn't remember why he was floating in the darkness. All he knew was that the outside world only held pain. He wouldn't go there. And yet, who was so desperately calling for him?

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome pleaded, pushing with all her might against the wall. Slowly, she saw Sesshomaru's glazed eyes refocus and then fill with pain. She clawed even more frantically at the barrier separating her and the tortured boy.

"SESSHOMARU!"

His eyes snapped up and locked with her own.

Kagome's heart flared with hope. "Sesshomaru, fight! Come to me, I'll save you," she urgently called.

'Who are you?' the boy's thought echoed in the dark world within his mind.

"Sesshomaru! Remember me! I'm Kagome! I'm your friend. Please, come to me."

'Who are you?' the dull echo came again.

'More,' Kagome thought. She needed to draw out more of her power. She had to blast through this damned wall and reach him. "More!" she yelled at her own body.

'Who?' Sesshomaru thought again. His nerves were fraying from the physical abuse, but he didn't hide back in his mind. He couldn't. Not when he was looking at the woman that was boring such intense ocean blue eyes into him. Why was she so familiar? She was so bright, brighter than the sun. She was probably warm like the sun too. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed with the urge to grasp her hand and leave the godforsaken place he was bound to. He wanted to feel the warmth. He wanted to touch that beautiful light. He wanted…

'Kagome.'

Kagome's face lit with joy at hearing her name. "Yes, it's Kagome. Now give me your hand," she anxiously said. Kagome reached out her hand, pushing against the wall. The barrier was quickly becoming malleable, stretch around her hand. Her arm then moved forward, pressing through.

"Kagome," he finally uttered aloud.

As if responding to his call, Kagome's reiki exploded forth, drowning out the scene Sesshomaru was in with blinding white light. When the light receded, Kagome and Sesshomaru were lying on the ground, hand in hand.

Kagome sat up without letting go of the boy. They were sitting on a small patch of lush grass underneath a beautiful blooming cherry blossom tree. A sparkling lake glistened behind the tree. The place looked like a combination of Sesshomaru's favorite resting place in his garden, and Kagome's lake retreat outside her village. There was no sun or sky, but everywhere was flooded with soft white light. The edges of their little oasis disappeared into billowing, white, fluffy mist. Kagome couldn't see past it, but the feeling of this place was warm and calming.

A rustle by her side brought her attention back to the boy lying next to her. He was still naked and bleeding, but no longer shackled. She was in the training kimono she'd been wearing in real life. "Sesshomaru," she whispered.

The boy stiffened, darting his fear filled eyes to look at her. Kagome slowly brought her hand up to cup his small, round cheek. "Shh…It's okay now. I'm here," she cooed.

That's right. He had wanted to be with her. Kagome. She took away the evil men. "Who are you?" he asked.

Her eyes teared at the question. This Sesshomaru didn't have any memories of her yet. "I'm a friend. A friend you will meet when you wake up from here," she answered. "Now, let's get you cleaned up." She set her hand on his shoulder and tried to draw out her healing powers.

Nothing came. In fact, she couldn't even feel the inner reservoir of reiki within her. It's as if it didn't exist in this place.

Kagome opened her eyes again to meet the confused gaze of young Sesshomaru. "Looks like we have to do it the normal way. Will you let me carry you? I want to get to the lake so we can wash you up."

Young Sesshomaru blushed. "I can walk," he insisted. He was dirty and used. It was mortifying to have his filthy body fully exposed to this strange female. For some inexplicable reason, he didn't want her to see him like this. He couldn't understand why she would even want to touch someone like him. He tried to raise himself off his stomach and onto his knees, but immediately convulsed in pain.

"Don't force yourself!" Kagome exclaimed, distraught. He was so stubborn, even as a child. "I'm going to roll you into my arms. The movement might hurt, but I'll try to go slowly, okay?"

Young Sesshomaru looked away, ashamed, but nodded.

When Kagome finally got him cradled in her arms, he was clenching his jaw to prevent the cry of pain from escaping. Kagome tried to be gentle. She didn't comment, knowing it would shatter what little pride the young demon still clung to.

Ever so carefully, she lowered him into the cool, clean water. "Can you hold on to me while I wash you?" she softly asked. He responded by circling his thin arms around her neck. Painstakingly, Kagome washed every damaged inch of his body. When she moved to his backside, he quickly protested, "You don't have to clean there."

Kagome paused, pulling back so she could look into his eyes. "Why? What's wrong?"

Young Sesshomaru refused to meet her gaze. He was hungrily soaking up the motherly touches and tender caresses. He needed them. He wanted to feel her warmth more than anything. But that part of him was too sullied for hands as pure as hers. "It's too dirty," he mumbled, so quiet she barely caught it.

Kagome's heart ached when she registered what he said. She pulled him closer, giving him a light hug so as not to irritate his wounds too much. "Sesshomaru," she choked. "Your body may have gotten dirty, but you are in no way ruined." She pulled back and touched his chest. "You are beautiful and pure right here."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "I'm a demon."

Kagome nodded. "An honorable and strong demon. Don't feel ashamed of the base actions others have inflicted onto you. You are not at fault, and they will never taint you."

Sesshomaru didn't answer, but clung to her tighter. It was strange. His mind was so confused. He had been stuck in that dungeon for so long he had lost track of time. Everything had felt like dejavu until this woman came. Sesshomaru knew deep down that things didn't end this way. That this wonderful warmth was only a dream. 'It doesn't matter. If this is a dream, then I'll just never wake up.'

A while later, Kagome lifted the boy out of the water and back onto the grass, careful to lay him on his side, instead of his back. She started unraveling her obi to give him her outer haori.

Sesshomaru instantly tensed, wary of her actions. The last time someone disrobed near him, he had been assaulted to the brink of insanity.

"I will never hurt you, Sesshomaru," Kagome reassured. Her eyes dimmed with sadness. He was more skittish than a frightened deer. The boy was so fragile, trying desperately to keep his former identity, while coping with the trauma that would scar him for the rest of his life.

Kagome drapped her haori over him and then started ripping the sleeves of her inner robe into bandages. Sesshomaru watched her intently the entire time. It almost reminded her of the first time she had met the grown Sesshomaru.

When she was done bandaging him, he looked more like a mummy than a person. Only his face and parts of his hands and feet were exposed. Sesshomaru had gradually relaxed to her tender ministrations. Her scent was pleasing to his sensitive nose, and his instincts had readily equated her to safety.

She slowly set his head on her lap and arranged her haori to cover as much of the boy as possible. Her hands ran through his wet tressels, untangling any knots. "Would you like to hear a story?" Kagome offered, knowing the boy needed a distraction from what he just experienced. Sesshomaru nodded against her thigh.

"Once upon a time, there was a brave, strong demon lord. He was the strongest in all the lands, and always protected what was his. One day, he was injured after dueling an ancient dragon demon, and met a miko…"

Kagome told the story of their encounters in real life. Soon, she saw his tired eyes droop. "Sleep, Sesshomaru. I'll be here."

"No. This dream will end if I close my eyes," the young demon said with precocious insight into the current situation. He was afraid to go back to that dark place. He was afraid of losing her.

"You can think of this as a dream. But when you wake up, everything will be better. Things will just seem like a distant past. You'll be big and strong, and surrounded by people who love you," Kagome coaxed.

Young Sesshomaru was quiet for a long moment. "Will you be there?" he tentatively asked.

Kagome melted at his precious words. "Always."

He finally closed his eyes and drifted off. Kagome watched in fascination as the young boy Sesshomaru aged and grew into the formidable adult Sesshomaru she was so familiar with. His wounds disappeared with his maturation. Still he slept on, resting on her lap. The haori now barely covered his midsection.

Since Sesshomaru was back, Kagome was hit by the fatigue and stress. She had been straining herself to stay strong for the young boy. But now, everything was catching up to her. She was witness to too many things her mind could not handle, and it was forcing her to shut down. Kagome shifted so she could recline back. She brushed his bangs into place and laid a quick kiss on top of his head before succumbing to sleep herself.

The surreal oasis faded as Kagome was pulled back into her own body and the soul link closed.


	21. Chapter 21

*Summary of last chapter:

Kagome successfully made a soul link with Sesshomaru and delved into his personal nightmare. Within his mind, she witnessed his sexual assault by human men at the age of 7. Kagome pulled Sesshomaru out of his cycle of terrible memories and broke the curse. She soothed him briefly before both succumbed to sleep. The soul link was safely closed.*

Chapter 21

Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open as he jerked to a sitting position.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha and Seri simultaneously exclaimed. Inuyasha's face broke into a goofy grin as Seri went about checking his vitals. "Keh! I knew you were too stubborn to die."

Sesshomaru's searching gaze settled when he found Kagome sprawled across his stomach and sitting halfway on the chair next to his bed. Memories of his experiences in the void fell into place. He grappled with the rush of emotions trigged.

Kagome had seen the one part of him he wanted to hide the most. These foul memories had been buried deep, and should have never been revisited. But it was too late. She had seen him at truly his darkest hour. And yet she had held his weak, and thoroughly defiled body. She had cleaned him and whispered sweet words until he almost felt normal again. She had offered him the warmth and comfort that even his parents had failed to give. Sesshomaru didn't know what to make of Kagome.

How was he going to face her now? Would he be able to act so impervious and proud when she knew how defective he really was? Would she still think of him as the great demon lord whose strength was unmatched? Would she still want him as alpha?

'No, that's not right,' his mind rebuked. The question burning deep within his heart wasn't 'Would she still want him as alpha?', but 'Would she still want _him_?' Sesshomaru's eyes widened in shock at what his mind just provided. When did he start thinking of the miko in such a fashion? Sesshomaru grit his teeth. This realization had come at the worst time. His mind was in too much turmoil.

"She's alright, just sleeping," Seri said.

"Keh, given how much energy she let out, I wouldn't be surprised if she passed out for a month," Inuyasha snorted.

Sesshomaru turned to his brother and arched a questioning brow.

"The stupid wench started building up spiritual power almost as soon as she formed that bond with you. It was starting to get outta hand. We had to evacuate the whole damn castle. It was a good thing too. Not long after, there was a huge explosion of reiki. I swear half the servants pissed their pants, and they were far away by then too," Inuyasha explained.

"When we came back to check on you, both of you guys were glowing white. Freakiest shit I've seen in awhile. I don't know what happened, but she did it," he ended with a wide smile.

"That girl is remarkable. She broke a void demon curse," Seri added. Sesshomaru's eyes widened at that. He knew there were few curses stronger than that, and even fewer people that could break them. "Kagome never gave up on you. We were going to give you a mercy killing, but she wouldn't let us."

Inuyasha chuckled. "The fiery bitch was gonna punch Seri's lights out when she mentioned it," he said appreciatively.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter. You're with us again my lord. That is most important," Seri waved off.

"Aight, let's get her to bed," Inuyasha said, moving to carry Kagome back to her room.

A chilling snarl froze the hanyou in place. His heart was racing, and he darted his eyes up to meet Sesshomaru's bleeding red ones. 'Oh shit.' Inuyasha quickly jumped back. His brother had never seriously threatened him like that. He could only gape at the raging daiyoukai.

Sesshomaru's eyes slowly faded back to gold. He was equally stunned by the instinctual response. The snarl had erupted from his throat before he could stop it. When he had seen Inuyasha approach the miko, his temper snapped like a firecracker. _No one_ was allowed to touch the miko besides him. She was his. The possessiveness had utterly consumed him at that moment, and had his brother not stopped, he would have killed him.

Seri watched the interaction with knowing interest. "Come, Inuyasha. Let them rest," she said, pulling the dumbstruck hanyou with her out the door.

When they were out of hearing range, Sesshomaru gently repositioned Kagome onto his bed. He wondered how she would act around him when she woke up. She would definitely ask for an explanation of what she witnessed, but Sesshomaru wasn't sure if he was ready to verbalize anything. He sighed.

The relived memories had forced him to remember the pain, fear, disgust, helplessness, and abject humiliation that Time had taken so long to dull. Sesshomaru had forgotten what such torture felt like. The recurring nightmares he had of these events did not replay the physical pain. Now, the old wounds were ripped apart again, leaving him raw. Gods, how was he supposed to resume his lordly duties with the honor he so ferverently established when such vivid terrors haunted him? Sesshomaru clenched his fists and shut his eyes, trying to center his wildly fluctuating aura.

As if sensing his distress even in sleep, Kagome curled closer against his side, wrapping an arm around his waist and engulfing him with her pale azure aura. Sesshomaru opened his eyes and studied the woman that calmed him so effortlessly. The color of her aura was definitely much lighter than before, more intense. Her powers were growing.

He hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder in an awkward embrace and relaxed back onto the bed. Hopefully some sleep would alleviate the anxiety that was drowning him.

Kagome pushed through the haze of sleep to find her entire body stiff and sore. 'Yep, definitely reality,' she thought, resigned. Maybe she should sink back into the blissful darkness. 'No,' her mind pushed her. There was definitely something she was forgetting.

"Sesshomaru!" she yelled, jerking up, only to groan and fall back down.

Sesshomaru stood from the chair next to Kagome that he had been keeping vigil on for the past days and walked into her line of sight. He looked down, but remained silent. For once, he was speechless, and not silent by choice. The woman had been driving him insane, and all she had been doing was sleeping. Now that she was awake, his mind was thrown into another flurry of activity. Sesshomaru carefully kept his face blank and his eyes guarded as he leaned closer.

Kagome's gaze locked onto Sesshomaru and the memories she had so desperately tried to block broke through. Tears sprung to the surface as she pushed herself up. "Se-Sesshomaru!" she cried, tackling the immovable demon.

Sesshomaru caught the distraught woman, but was completely unprepared for her heart wrenching sobs and endless stream of tears. He hadn't anticipated her reaction to be so violent. The miko was strange, as usual. Instead of shying away from him, she embraced him with an iron grip.

"Stupid Sesshomaru, I was so worried about you," she wailed. The tears wouldn't stop.

"Hm. You have no right to admonish This Sesshomaru. Foolish miko, you faced an army alone, attempted a ridiculous feat, and slept for a week," Sesshomaru quietly chastised.

In the beginning, he had dreaded her wakening. Their relationship had been irreversibly changed, and he wasn't sure it was for the better. But after a day of watching the comatose girl, he had developed the outrageous fear that she would never wake up. The clashing desires had relentlessly torn at him. He couldn't concentrate, couldn't sleep. In fact, he couldn't even stray from the room without a gnawing restlessness forcing him back. Seven days had never been so long. The miko would surely be the death of him.

Kagome lifted her head in surprise. "A week!" she exclaimed, still hiccupping.

'How infuriating,' Sesshomaru thought as he followed the trail of wetness. She was touseled, red eyed, puffy faced, and leaking mucus from both nostrils. In a word, she was a mess. Yet, Sesshomaru could not find her disgusting. He couldn't even muster a 'mildly uninviting'. All he could think of was how beautifully innocent and endearing she was. All he could do was brush her tears away. 'Ridiculous.'

"Do not cry," he commanded, as if he could scare them off. It didn't work.

Kagome shook her head. "Let me shed the tears you will not," she said in a shuddering whisper.

Sesshomaru said nothing, but clutched her tighter. 'Foolish woman.' It was a distant past, and he was determined not to dwell on it. But this tiny woman was so pained over something that had nothing to do with her.

It was obvious her tears weren't stopping anytime soon, so Sesshomaru sat down on the bed, leaning his back against the headboard. "It is the past," he tried once again to quell the overflow of water from her dark ocean orbs.

"How?" she finally stuttered out. She wanted to know how it was possible for him to succumb to such a fate.

Sesshomaru was silent for a long time. "An heir is often a target in youkai society. One's existence is usually kept secret until he is able to properly defend himself. Three years before my birth, my sire engaged in a war with the Northern dragons. The western lands are plentiful, and dragons are greedy creatures," he began. This was the first time he ever told the story, and he fought to keep his voice steady.

"It was a vicious battle and no end or victor was in sight. Realizing this, Inu no Taisho was compelled to sire an heir. The strongest pure blooded inuyoukai demoness, Lady Mizuki, was immediately mated and I was born."

"They did not love each other?" Kagome asked, befuddled. Her parents had been deeply in love, and most couples in the village had at least some degree of affection for the other. They were spiritual beings afterall, and a forced union would have resulted in the loss of power for both parties.

"Youkai do not need to be close in order to mate. Most youkai of royal bloodlines have mates selected for them based on noble standing and strength," Sesshomaru explained. The concept of a mating for love was absolutely ludicrous. Some may develop affections after the mating, while others like his father had only a marking to show for the coupling. It did not matter as long as each could perform the duties of Lord and Lady.

Kagome's eyes saddened, but she was no longer crying. She patiently waited for Sesshomaru to continue.

"The knowledge of my existence was revealed when the Lady of the East attempted an assassination attempt on my person." Sesshomaru paused when he heard the miko gasp, confusion clearly written on her face.

"Lady Sumiko of the East was gifted with Sight. She was a renowned seer well before she was Lady of the East. It was customary for noble families to call upon her service during birthings to fortell the pup's destiny and name him appropriately. These meetings were usually held in absolute confidence. My father visited Lady Sumiko for this very purpose when I was a month old."

"_Death and destruction plague his life. But should he learn the lesson of the heart, his greatness and legacy shall be unrivaled_ – were the seer's words," Sesshomaru recounted.

"Before my father's departure, she attempted a crazed attack on my life. It was never known why she did so. Even on her trial, she had only ranted about seeing my wretched destiny and the monster I would become," he said with bored indifference. "The Demon Council ruled her insane and ordered to have her put to death for her transgressions. My father had personally delivered the sentence. Since then, my existence had been known to all. My whereabouts were hidden, but the hunt was on."

It was disconcerting for Kagome to think that this crazed demoness who attempted to kill an innocent pup was the same one Akira had so deeply loved and reverently recalled. 'What could have possibly driven Sumiko to try and kill Sesshomaru?' she sadly thought.

"In my seventh year, Inu no Taisho had won a critical battle, and the West had a celebration. I was briefly allowed out under guard, but spirits were high, and within the distraction I was taken by the dragon demons. My life was used to threaten the West back from the edge of victory," Sesshomaru said, his tone heating in bitterness.

"At first, the dragons tried to wheedle information from me. However, I was too young and my father had been absent for most of my life. I had little to offer. They realized this after a two month interrogation and threw me to the human mercenaries they had begun to employ for menial tasks so more demon soldiers would be freed to fight." Sesshomaru abruptly stopped then. His calm façade was already cracking.

"Did the dragons also…?" Kagome tentatively asked.

"No. They are too cold blooded to understand the devastation of such perverse lust," he bit out.

"How long before your father rescued you?" Kagome hoped with all her heart it was a brief period. Everytime the image of young Sesshomaru's bound and desecrated body flashed in her mind, her stomach heaved.

"Inu no Taisho did not rescue this one," Sesshomaru quietly confessed.

Kagome's heart dropped. She turned her pleading eyes to him, as if begging to be told that he had somehow been saved from the fall from grace she had personally witnessed.

"Over a year after I had been handed to the filthy human scum, I came into my poison abilities. Dokkasou melted the enchanted binds, and I killed them." Sesshomaru recalled how he had massacred the pathetic humans, and carved a bloody path from the Northern castle to the battlefield where the war still waged. He had seen nothing but red, lost to his demon blood. His father had found him, transformed into a dog the size of a small horse and attacking anything that crossed his path.

"My father knocked me out of my rage and took me to a cave den close to the Western Citadel. No one but himself, Lady Mizuki, and Seri were allowed to come to me. Any with demon sense would have been able to smell the human filth I was saturated in. Seri tended my wounds and was escorted back. My mothe- Lady Mizuki would not come near me. The smell was too offensive to her sensitive nose. I was isolated in that den for the next decade until the stench of human male faded from my scent," Sesshomaru hurriedly finished his tale. He couldn't keep his emotions at bay much longer.

Meanwhile, Kagome had grown increasingly stiff. 'Gods, a whole year where he had been mercilessly raped…and then ten years of quarantine in a goddamn cave so no one would be privy to what happened to him. Why?' she despaired. 'What mother wouldn't comfort her broken son? How could they all ignore what happened to him, as if pretending it didn't happen would make it true…' her heart roared indignantly in her head.

"What about your father?" she asked in a deathly quiet voice.

"He ended the war by sealing Ryukotsusei. He then trained me during the dead of night, while he ruled the West during the day," Sesshomaru stated matter of factly.

"Why did they have to hide you? Why couldn't they tend to you as you rightly deserved?" she asked in frustration.

"A ruined heir is worthless and represents weakness for the entire kingdom," he answered matter-of-factly.

Kagome sobbed brokenly at his response. He told everything as if it were normal, expected. She gazed at the unreadable demon lord with pained eyes thick with remorse. He had been raised by a mother who didn't know affection, and a father who would always be lord first, and father second. Combined with a dark fortune, countless assassination attempts, and a kidnapping that stole what little childhood he had, it was no wonder Sesshomaru was so cold. And to think he had to relive the worst parts for two whole days…

Sesshomaru noticed the look. He didn't want her pity. More than anything, he would not be able to stomach the sympathy that reflected how truly weak he was. Shoving the girl off, he abruptly stood. "This Sesshomaru does not need your pity, human," he lashed out.

Kagome knew she messed up when Sesshomaru's entire being iced over and he pushed her away. "No!" she screamed, latching onto the stiff demon lord with all her might. "Please, Sesshomaru…please don't go. Please listen to me," she begged. Kagome didn't care how pathetic she sounded. She would do anything to prevent him from shutting her out because she knew this time it would be forever.

Sesshomaru stilled with the miko's weight still laid on his back and hooked around his waist.

Kagome took a shuddering breath and began. "That was not pity, Sesshomaru. I-I hurt. I hurt _so _much to hear what you've been through. I regret not being able to help you. I wish so badly that all those atrocious acts didn't happen, not out of pity, but because I care for you."

Sesshomaru turned to the miko at her declaration. Kagome reached up from her kneeling position on the bed and cupped his smooth cheek. "I am usually not one to hate, but my blood boils at the thought of those immoral men. Miko status be damned, I will never forgive them for what they have done, and they escape my wrath only because they are already dead. You should not have been left to deal with this trauma on your own. I don't understand how your parents could be so cold. It humbles me to know you had survived it all on your own, that you can still be who you are today," she swiftly profess her feelings.

Sesshomaru growled. "You are misled. I have killed countless men indiscriminately for over two centuries after my disgrace."

Kagome shook her head. Fate had been cruel to Sesshomaru. She couldn't fault him for the death and destruction he'd come to witness and deliver. "You were lost, and I will not blame you for their deaths. I do not like killing or senseless deaths, but you will not convince me you are anything less than magnificent and honorable."

"How can you say that when you saw me subdued and ridden like a common whore?" Sesshomaru shouted. His chest was heaving, and his eyes were tinted pink. He had long lost the honor he so desperately clings to. Everything was a façade. He was the ultimate hippocrite.

"NO!" Kagome yelled even louder. In a softer tone, she asked, "Do you not remember what I said to you in the void? Don't ever feel ashamed about the base actions others have inflicted onto you. The honor you live by now and stress so much is part of your character. It is not an act. I cannot help but think you even more honorable and strong now that I know your past. You will forever be true in my eyes right here," she said, placing her palm over his heart.

Sesshomaru's stony mask crumpled, his eyes expressing just how much her words meant to him. She gave him the comfort he had been denied for so long. She had seen his worst moments, yet could still look into his eyes and swear he was not the monster even a seer had believed him to be. She argued for his honor when even he was not sure of its existence. She didn't scorn the sullied boy he had been. Nor did she expect him to be an infallible lord. She accepted and embraced all of him as is. She was the light to his eternal darkness. "Kagome," he murmured her name tenderly. Sesshomaru vowed in that moment to never let this warmth go.

Kagome gently held him, running her fingers through his silky mane soothingly. "I'm here," she said, as if reading his thoughts. 'I'll always be here…'


	22. Chapter 22

Kagome awoke a few hours later to a heaviness on her chest. Looking down, she found Sesshomaru sprawled half on top of her with his head resting on her chest. He was out cold. Her heart rate immediately doubled at their close proximity and her abdomen fluttered in desire.

He looked so devastatingly beautiful and serene at that moment. The weight and warmth of his body felt so right. Kagome tried to slow her breathing. She knew he was attractive. 'More like drop dead gorgeous,' her mind traitorously provided. But what warm blooded female wouldn't think that? What surprised Kagome was the feeling of content with him so near. This wasn't the giddy reaction her body had during a first encounter with an appealing male. It ran much deeper. When had he begun to affect her so? And when had she begun liking it? This whole fiasco with the void demon curse had blown her denial clear out of the water.

Then, Sesshomaru shifted, hugging her tighter and burying his head deeper into her bosom. Kagome yelped in surprise at the bold move. Sesshomaru woke at the strangled noise. Taking in big lung fulls of the sweet soothing scent surrounding him, he slowly peeled open his eyes.

Lazy suns met startled cobalt waves. Kagome watched in absolute mortification as realization of their compromising position dawned in those breathtaking orbs. Sesshomaru lept off of her like a man dipped in hot oil.

He sat on the far edge of the bed, frantically trying to regain his composure. He looked back at the woman imitating a tomato so well it would make a kitsune proud. Sesshomaru was thoroughly abashed by how intimately he had been holding her, but could not for the life of him, muster an inkling of regret. She was soft, warm, and smelled delicious. Sesshomaru had the most preposterous urge to growl at himself. Gods he was going insane.

"This Sesshomaru was unaware of his actions," he finally managed.

Kagome breathed out a sigh of relief when Sesshomaru reverted back to his usual formal speech. Had he given a real apology, she might just have to die from a heart attack. "Ah ha, no worries. I mean we were both tired, and you deserved the rest after taking on an army and we were just talking and it was nice and relaxing and…" Kagome babbled in a nervous, high pitched voice. She awkwardly stood and backed up to the door. "…so I guess I'll just go take a bath and eat. You must be hungry too! Of course! I'll leave you to that. Bye now!" She turned and fled from the room.

Sesshomaru silently watched the miko beat a hasty retreat, unsure if he should feel relieved or disappointed by her flight. So instead he set his mind on ignoring the whole thing.

As soon as she sank into the steaming hot spring, Kagome groaned. Gods could she have been anymore embarrassing and immature? She had panicked and given the lamest response possible to the most unfairly perfect demon. He had been immaculate, not a hair out of place, while she probably had a bird's nest for hair and strong enough body odor to knock out a cow. Kagome groaned again, sinking further into the water. Who knows? Maybe if she just sank further, the earth would have pity and swallow her up. Why couldn't she be like those cool mature women who could flick their luscious locks nonchalantly and say, "good morning," in a smooth, silky voice?

A hurried knock brought Kagome out of her wallowing session. Seri and Umi barged in shouting her name.

"It's about time you woke up, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling?" Seri gruffly said. "Lady Kagome, your presence has been sorely missed," Umi added more subdued.

Kagome brightened. "Yes, I'm glad to be here. I'm doing great. Care to join?" She shifted over in the large spring.

The demonesses immediately started to disrobe. But Seri paused, "Why are you in the guest and servant bath? The nicer pack spring is located in the other wing."

Kagome flushed with embarrassment at the reminder of Sesshomaru. "W-Well, Sesshomaru will probably be using it. And I just…" she trailed off.

Seri was not convinced. It was a weak excuse at best. "Kagome?" she drawled.

Kagome sighed. How was she going to explain her attraction to him? He was utterly unsociable, but a good leader. He was ruthless killer, but honorable and fiercely protective of what was his. He was coldly calculating, but wise in his intelligence. His past was disturbingly dark, and his future was fortold to be wrought with more adversity. He was full of paradoxes. He was Sesshomaru, and the more Kagome learned of him, the more she wanted to know.

"I'm scared," she finally admitted to her audience.

"You are safe now," Seri said, befuddled.

Kagome shook her head. "Not that. I'm…I don't know what to do. I feel like a moth drawn to a flame." Seri and Umi didn't follow.

"I'm scared that I might like being with Sesshomaru," she clarified in an abnormally high pitched voice.

Umi gaped at the miko as if she had grown a second head. The thought of anyone feeling anything short of fear in the presence of the intimidating lord was incomprehensible.

Seri blinked at the fidgeting girl before bursting into laughter. "Yes, it must be quite frightening to like the company of one akin to an icicle," Seri crowed.

Kagome blushed. "I'm serious here!" she indignantly scowled.

"Yes, yes," Seri tried to placate. Calming herself, she regarded the woman-child carefully. "Do you love him?" she asked seriously.

"Lady Seri!" Umi admonished, looking scandalized.

"No!" Kagome adamantly denied. It was too forceful. "I don't think?" she offered more hesitantly. "I care for him. He is like family to me."

"Like family, but not, neh?" Seri suggested. Kagome nodded her head in agreement. "Is it so wrong to care for him? More than a friend?" Seri solemly asked.

Kagome faltered. "No, but… He's a demon, and not just any demon, but a demon lord. And me?" She was just a cast away miko from a small human village. She couldn't even consider the possibilities of such unhealthy…attachments.

Seri sighed. It was true that the tiny blossom of love she had seen between the pair was unacceptable in any logical sense. But she had grown to see Kagome as more than her title. She saw how the girl affected the cold demon lord for the better. It was an impossible feat that Seri was not sure could be repeated by anyone else. Was it so wrong to root for the unlikely couple? Was it so wrong to hope that Sesshomaru would find true happiness? She may not have seen it first hand like she was sure Kagome had in the void, but Seri had been there when Sesshomaru came back soiled beyond recognition. The pup has led a hard life.

"Kagome, I have been alive for a long time, and if nothing else, I have learned that when there is a will, there is always a way. Look into your heart and see what you truly want," Seri advised.

Kagome was silent for the remainder of the bath, contemplating her words.

Sesshomaru had been avoiding the miko for a week now since she woke up. It was humiliating, but he could not control his responses whenever he was around her. She would flash him a smile brighter than the sun, and he'd find himself smiling back. She would lose her balance taxing her clumsy limbs to do something ridiculous, and he'd find himself rushing to catch her fall. All in all, it was completely unacceptable to show such obvious reactions in public. And so Sesshomaru, lord of the west and most powerful demon in all of Japan, hid.

However, he wouldn't admit to such unbecoming actions. He was simply engrossed in his library trying to find what he desired. It wasn't a lie. Ever since he decided to make the miko completely his, Sesshomaru had been researching ways to realize it. Friendship was insufficient in his mind. No. It took an unearthing of his miserable past, before Sesshomaru finally acknowledged the need. But now that he had, he could not rid the infuriating miko from his mind.

It was her strangeness that first caught his attention, and her power that drew him in. If she was a demoness, her power alone would have made her a contender for the position of mate. But she was human, and Sesshomaru had not even considered the possibility until her humanity was overshadowed by everything else.

She was a curiosity – a miko shunned by her breathren and loved by her natural enemies. What intrigued him more was the sheer raw power she contained in her petite body. She could have purified the demons infinitely more easily than she befriended them. Yet she spent the extra effort and managed to befriend even himself. Even then, romantic ideas had not filtered into his mind.

Granted, Kagome was an attractive human, but she wasn't a gorgeously flawless demoness. Her beauty was subtle, found in her caring actions and fiery words. It was a beauty that grew in the eyes of the beholder the more they interacted with her. And therein lay his downfall.

He had carelessly installed her into his home, and the attraction had caught him off guard. Their conversations stimulated his intellect, with her independent ideas often challenging him to refect on his own reasoning. She could detect his moods sometimes faster than he himself could identify. Her fussing touches never failed to ease the tensions of the day from his body. Her mere presence calmed him, and her laughter spread such a sense of wellbeing within him that it bordered on invincibility.

Kagome showed him the warmth he had never known, and the feeling was intoxicating, addicting. It was slowly changing him, and he was helpless to stop it. His loathing of humans, born from his childhood abuse at their hands, was so incongruous when placed next to her gentleness that he could not project those feelings properly onto her. His distrust, born from his parents' emotional abandonment and solidified through experiences in Demon Court, melted away everytime she recklessly forfeited her own wellbeing to protect her own. Intelligence, power without ambition, selfless loyalty, innocently unique beauty, and overflowing warmth.

How ironic that a human satisfy every requirement he had of a mate. A human whose humanity no long mattered in his eyes, but would to the rest of the world. A human and a demon – it was a perversion. Even worse, a _miko _and a _demon lord _– it was unheard of, blasphemy. The idea was so perverse it was inconceivable to many.

Sesshomaru mentally sighed. Had she been a plain mortal and he an insignificant demon, their union would not be so impossible. But she was the most powerful miko he'd ever seen, and he was a cardinal lord who embodied the West. A weakness in himself, and the West would be construed as weak and subject to attack. That is why he could not allow anything as soft as emotions play across his face. If someone were to find out how much the miko mattered to him, she would be mercilessly exploited, and painfully killed. Just the thought made Sesshomaru's hands shake with gut wrenching fear and untameable rage.

No. Sesshomaru would not allow it. He would find a way to take Kagome as Lady of the West, have her bear him legitimate hanyou heirs, and still exude the strength necessary to prevent the West's downfall. Alas, easier said than done.

His dark musings were interrupted by agitated knocks on the sealed library doors.

"Sesshomaru! Open up right now or I will break your stupid barrier and come in myself!" Kagome's angry voice rang through the underground caverns.

Sesshomaru considered her for a moment. His private library was barred to all except pack. It was a secure place ideal for easing her back into his presence. He could practice schooling his features back into the characteristic bored mask. If he succeeded, he wouldn't have to avoid her in public. Decision made, he headed toward the door.

However the impatient girl obviously thought he was taking too long. A thin bright light shone at the top of the crack between the double doors and cut downward. The cursory barrier Sesshomaru had placed on the door was cleanly cut in half. In its wake stood an irate miko holding a smoldering blade of pure reiki. His chest swelled with pride at seeing her impressive display, and his loins twitched pleasurably at the sight of her body flushed and heaving in ire.

"Your haste is unnecessary," Sesshomaru amusedly remarked, clearly trying to get another rise out of the miko.

Kagome puffed in irritation, but refused to rise to his bait. "Why have you been avoiding me?" she went straight to the point.

Sesshomaru regarded her strangely. "Could this one not have been busy?"

She quickly shook her head. "You're always busy. I'm not stupid. Why are you avoiding me?"

The corner of Sesshomaru's lips twitched upward in a ghost of a smile. He was fairly subtle, but she understood him too well. He quickly erased the involuntary expression when he saw her bewildered look. "Does it bother you?" he countered.

Kagome quickly looked away, blushing from embarrassment this time. "I-I…you haven't let me near you since we…since we talked," she fumbled, thoroughly flustered. She had quickly forgotten her anger. The fact was, she had missed him terribly, and worried incessantly that he wouldn't want to be with her anymore because she'd remind him of unwanted memories. She finally lifted her eyes, the endless sapphire pools reflecting her concerns and yearning.

Sesshomaru lost his famed control to those depths. He stood rigid, trying to tamp down the urge to curl her into his arms and reassure her he was not upset. However, in the process, he couldn't manage his youki infused pelt that responded to his instinctual desires. The long fluffy pelt left his shoulder to curl around the miko's waist, drape over her shoulders and rub against her soft cheeks.

"Fluffy!" Kagome gasped in surprise, but welcomed the irresistibly downy fur. She cuddled the pelt like a long lost pet returned, cooing and tickling it in delight.

Sesshomaru stood frozen against the feathery onslaught. He never did tell Kagome his pelt was an extension of his person. She was essentially petting _him._ Sesshomaru grunted at a particularly tantalizing caress. He would NOT purr.

Kagome stopped in mid stroke at the noise. She studied the struggling demon lord. He looked like he was coiled to pounce, but was resisting with all his might. "Are you alright?" she asked, concerned yet oblivious of her once again stroking hand.

Sesshomaru's hand shot forth and stilled Kagome's. "You will desist your fondling," he ground out.

She looked from the pelt to his face, confusion apparent.

"That," he spat out distastefully, while pointing to his pelt, "is part of my person. It is an embodiment of youki and responds to my will." He tried to will it back to his shoulder, but the traitorous piece of fluff only tightened its hold on the miko. Sesshomaru glared at the animated fur and added, "Most of the time."

The implications slowly registered and the miko's face exploded with color. "I am so sorry! I didn't mean to-to _fondle _you," she said the word in a scandalized tone. She held her hands up, determined not to touch the plushie boa nuzzling her face.

Sesshomaru slumped in defeat. The pelt was instinct driven and he had loose control over it at best. Normally this didn't pose a problem because his actions and desires were in tune with his instincts. However, as usual, the miko was an exception. He had been rationally holding back his urges, but the damn pelt knew no logic.

He watched the woman slowly coax the pelt to unwind from her waist and then gathered the fluff in her arms, laying it carefully over his shoulder. When she released, the pelt curled a tip around her wrist. Kagome patted the fur gently, whispering sweet nothings and asking for the pelt to listen to its master. The whole interaction seemed ridiculous to Sesshomaru, but the pelt obediently stayed on his shoulder after her ministrations.

Sesshomaru quietly snorted. The miko always did have a way with beasts.

Kagome looked at the recluse owner of the clingy fluff, trying to mentally reconcile the two. A broad grin slowly swept across her face. "I missed you too," she said, giving the tense demon lord a soft hug. She stepped back before he could respond. "Now, what has gotten you cooped up in here all week?"

'At least the wretched pelt did some good,' Sesshomaru reflected. The miko was no longer angry and he hadn't needed to explain himself. "Hm. Scrolls involving the Shikon no Tama," he said instead. It wasn't a lie. He had been scanning scrolls for information about the shikon while he searched for answers to more personal matters.

Kagome's expression immediately turned pensive. "Naraku said he needed my soul to complete the jewel," she reiterated.

Sesshomaru almost growled remembering the filth's vile words to his chosen female. He directed his unproductive thoughts to a different facet. "It is unclear what became of the four souls after the first shikon no tama was destroyed," he supplied. Sesshomaru recalled when he first brought the miko to his castle. 'What are you?' he had said. The question seemed all the more pertinent now.

"You think the souls could be reborn? Or that a soul similar enough would do?" Kagome jerked her head up.

"Possible. Either way, the cretin believes he has found the other three spirits and you are the last one," Sesshomaru said. He didn't like how her fair face paled and turned grave. Sesshomaru tilted her inclined head back up and waited for her gaze to meet his. "This Sesshomaru protects what is his," he promised.

Kagome knew it was his way of promising to protect her, minus the words too personal and tender for a demon lord to utter. She nodded in trust. Her eyes then turned playful. "Of course. I never doubted the universe would bend to your will," she teased, dissipating the serious mood.

"Hm." His eyes sparked with amused satisfaction.

Kagome giggled and tugged on his sleeve. "C'mon. Let's go and eat, I'm starving," she happily said, leading the stoic demon back up the stairs to civilization.


	23. Chapter 23

*Author Note: Okay I decided to re-add in all the lemony sections that I had cut out on the original upload. So enjoy!...or be warned hehe…*

He did not want to be here. Why did he have to meet with the wily fox anyway? Would it really have been too treacherous to send a letter informing the blasted fox of Naraku's intentions? He had been in his castle too many times in the last year. Just because they were allies and needed to exchange pertinent points didn't mean he had to tolerate the fox for longer than a two hour meeting. So why didn't the blasted demon leave right after? Why did he have to stay the night and 'catch up' with his miko? Dammit the fox was a lord! He should be fulfilling his lordly duties back in the East. And why did the miko agree to the nightly walks?

Sesshomaru shut his eyes to the juvenile thoughts. He was Lord of the West, not some petulant pup. Akira was an ally. His fox nature makes him rather lively. The miko could make friends with a rock. Given an affable demon like Akira, and they would naturally become friends. They exchanged more words in one night walk than he did with the miko in a month. Still, they were just friends. He didn't smell arousal on either of them. It wasn't like Akira entertained any romantic machinations, and the miko would be too dense to appreciate them anyway. Everything was logically harmless.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes and caught Kagome awing at how Akira's nine tails ignited in fire without burning. To impress the girl further, Akira coated the tails with green fox fire, eliciting excited claps. 'How could she be impressed by something so trivial? All fox demons could control fox fire. Dokkasou could douse any flame,' Sesshomaru mentally roared.

Outwardly, he was calm as ever, simply passing by the garden to reach his study. His mask of indifference did not crumble until he was safely behind the doors of his study and barricaded in a sound proof barrier. Sesshomaru snarled and melted the nearest chair. When the puddle of green acid finally stopped sizzling, Sesshomaru's mask was back in place as he sat down at his desk.

Outside in the garden

"Kagome, will you not come to my palace? It is enchanted with ancient and powerful fox magic. No enemy would be able to enter the place. You would be kept safe, at least until this Naraku foe is taken care of," Akira beseeched, lacing his voice with concern.

Kagome shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, Akira. But my place is with the House of the Moon, my pack."

"But if Naraku truly desires your soul, he will come again. You are not safe here. Look at what happened last time! If not for how large your soul was, the void demon's mirror would have sucked it right out. I'm sure for the sake of your safety, even Lord Sesshomaru would want you placed in a haven. Please consider what I have said," Akira pleaded.

Kagome knew the fox demon meant well, but she could not help feeling a little offended by what he was implying. "This IS my haven. I am part of Sesshomaru's pack. He will not let harm befall me. Besides, I am a miko, not some helpless damsel. Naraku was playing dirty. Next time we will be prepared," she defended.

Suddenly, Kagome was pulled into Akira's chest. He hugged her tightly to him. "I'm sorry Kagome. Do not misunderstand my impulsive words. I fear. I know you are the silver dog demon's pack, but I fear for your safety as if you were a member of my own. Forgive my thoughtlessness," he murmured into her ear.

She felt like a pampered princess, a precious baby sister in his heart warming embrace. "It's alright. Thank you for worrying about me," Kagome responded, lightly returning the hug before pulling away. "But my decision stands. I want to be here. As long as Sesshomaru accepts me, I will support the West and battle Naraku with everything I've got."

Akira smiled sadly. "You would choose Sesshomaru over me?" he said, dropping the honorific for once.

The way he said it almost made Kagome think he was proposing to her. She blushed, not knowing if Akira meant for the hidden question. 'Then again, did it matter?' she silently asked herself. 'No.' The answer shocked even herself. She would choose Sessshomaru even if the magnificent, gorgeous creature in front of her wanted to take her as a mate. She wouldn't abandon the West out of loyalty to her choosen pack. But she wouldn't abandon even an impossible fantasy with Sesshomaru for the sure vow with Akira. Kagome's stomach dropped. Gods, she was in love with Sesshomaru.

"Kagome?" Akira asked attentatively. Kagome snapped her dazed eyes up to meet his dazzling emerald ones. His claw reached to stroke her cheek, but she stepped out of his reach. "I'm sorry Akira. I will stay by his side until I am unwanted," she quietly confessed.

Akira's eyes flashed with something unreadable before he retreated. "Alas, I expected as much. I hope you will still consider me a friend?"

"Of course! Why would I not? You have been very kind to me despite everyone's misgivings when I was first accepted into Sesshomaru's pack. I am honored to be your friend, and if you will allow, I hope to get to know you better as a person, not a lord," she answered.

Akira smirked at her last statement. She knew their friendship was still very superficial, never delving further than pleasantries. "Prepare yourself. The next time we meet, I will steal you away for a long time so you can get to know my true self," he teasingly proclaimed.

"Hmph! I'm up for the challenge," she haughtily responded. "…Only if you can catch me first!" she playfully dared. And they were off, leaving the serious undertones of their conversation in the dust.

The weeks after Naraku's attack flew by in a storm of commotion. Between recuperating, hunting for factoids in a pitless library, meeting with allies, reinforcing defenses, and smoothing over relations with the North, Sesshomaru had forgotten that it was April.

While the North had not attacked since discovering Naraku's deceit, tensions were still running high. The dragons and dogs had a history as it were. It didn't help that the general chaos had exacerbated the fragile peace between the two lands.

A treaty had to be made, and soon. Sesshomaru trailed out to the balcony of his bed chambers. It was already past midnight, and the moon would be full in less than a week. He knew exactly what kind of treaty was expected – an engagement. A political marriage similar to the one his sire had with his mother. He was expected to mate with one of Ryura's daughters, thus ending any lingering animosity. The dragon princess's position as his lady would provide the dragons an influential stake in affairs of the West and protection through an unbreakable alliance. Meanwhile, he would accept a generous dowry and have the dragon's might at his disposal through the same alliance.

Sesshomaru had no doubt that given the princess's bloodline, she would bear strong heirs. The Demon Council would approve of the union in a heartbeat. The mating would be swift, without the usual pomp due to the unstable times. An heir would be conceived as soon as possible to ensure the line, and all would be well. With all the cardinal lords joined, Naraku's demise would be a technicality.

The solution was perfectly laid out in front of Sesshomaru, but his mind protested louder than any earthquake, and his chest twisted in suffocating anguish. What was this excrutiating pain? He placed a hand over his heart. It felt like his heart was being squeezed so hard, it could not beat. Like it would burst and he would be left forever bleeding from a wound that would never heal.

Sesshomaru clutched his chest, digging his claws into his own flesh. 'There has to be another way,' he shouted in his head. But the only thing that came to mind was something that could very possibly get Kagome killed. He would rather her live as only a packmate, than risk having her death upon his hands. But gods he wanted her. Sesshomaru felt trapped. He looked at the mating proposal that Jaken had dutifully drafted up with pure malice. Faster than human eyes could follow, he shredded the scroll until it was a shallow pile of scraps.

"Kagome," he uttered with all the yearning he suppressed and would never let out during daylight.

No one heard Sesshomaru's quiet call for help. The stars and moon were his only witness.

The next day, the spring heat cycle began. Sesshomaru felt the cloying heat build slowly in his core all day until nightfall descended. As if rising with the moon, his senses began to heighten and the fire in his groin spread to his entire body. Yet the heat continued to burn hotter. Sesshomaru fought for clarity. Something was horribly wrong. Even his very first heat was not this strong.

He quickly exited his study and ordered Jaken to hold all reports and inform the servants that he was not to be disturbed for the next week. Sesshomaru then shut himself in his bed chamber. Another jolt of electrifying arousal shuddered through his body. His breathing was coming out in heavy pants. In a lucid moment, he erected a strong barrier with his youki.

'What is happening?' he wondered in panic. He could smell the heats of every youkai in the castle. In fact, his nose was particularly attuned to the scents the people were emitting. Arousal. It was the spring heat cycle afterall, and he was living in a castle filled with demons. The heady aroma bombarded him, and he struggled to sift through each scent. If he could do that, he'd be able to ignore the scent more effectively.

Usually, his heat cycle was nothing more than a nuisance. There'd be a tightness in his gut and a dull ache in his groin, along with a certain restlessness. It wasn't anything he couldn't control. He was a daiyoukai afterall, and above carnal instincts. However this was different. The molten lava coursing through his veins and scorching his mind was all consuming.

He tried to regulate his breathing into slow deep breaths. He sifted through the scents. Tiger…dog…wolf…dog…panther…panther…rabbit…eagle… They were the ones closest to his vicinity. Weak. They were not what he sought. He was so hot with need. And yet the restlessness did not subside in the least at the knowledge of female flesh at the ready. He prowled the room all the more furious. No, he was searching for something, someone.

Then he found it. A sweet scent that brought him tumbling to his knees. He dug his claws into the floor, grounding himself to prevent from ripping through his own barrier and pursuing the female. A sweet light creamy vanilla laced with lavender and spiked with a crisp cleaness – purity. Sesshomaru groaned. He knew this scent. But his memory scattered like the wind everytime he tried to tap into it. The female wasn't in heat, but she was it. She was his chosen.

Having located the scent, his focus seemed to zero in on it, blocking out all others. 'No!' the thought rang in his head, triggering some important tidbit to surface. That's right, he couldn't have her yet. Not like this. 'Kagome,' another thought sharpened in the fog of his brain. Kagome, his chosen. The name brought forth an image of a beautiful woman with wavy obsidian locks and striking blue eyes. He couldn't have her. Why couldn't he have her? Sesshomaru clawed through the haze. This was important. He knew it.

'Miko,' the word echoed. And then the memories and logic came flooding back. That's right. She was a miko, and he was a demon lord. He'd have to do something drastic to make her his without irreparable consequences. Sesshomaru regained control enough to fling himself onto the bed. Another thrill of pleasure ran down his spine at the sensation of cold sheets on his skin. When did he take off his clothes? He did not remember, nor did he care at this point. He laid still, clinging to the flimsy leash of control he had over his instincts. This would be one long week.

Four days later

Inuyasha was coming back from the forest where he had rutted with a female companion to relieve some of the frustrations from the heat cycle. He didn't want to endure another 'dry heat' so to speak like he did last season when he had sulked too much to find a proper partner. Still, knowing his uptight brother, the bastard would expect him to give a report on how the fraction of land he was overseeing was faring. 'Horny as fuck, what else?' he grumbled to himself. Only his icicle of a brother could work during this season. Everyone else was too busy getting a hard on to be wreaking havoc. It was like an unspoken rule in the demon world not to interfere with mating season.

Inuyasha ruffled his hair in resigned frustration. He snuck into the baths before heading to the study, stopping a short distance from the imposing doors. A sniff told him Sesshomaru hadn't been there for at least a few days. "What the hell?" he muttered.

Turning around, he hunted down Jaken's trail. "Yo, imp. What's going on? Where's Sesshomaru?"

Jaken sputtered at the crass handling. "Lord Sesshomaru is not to be disturbed in his bed chambers," he arrogantly announced.

"No way, don't tell me Ice Prince defrosted his balls and deigned to fuck some unlucky female?" Inuyasha exclaimed incredulously. His brother indulged in sex maybe about once every decade or two, and the last time was probably only about five years ago. Especially during a crazy time like this, there's no way he'd shut himself in for a week out of lust.

"There have not been cultured enough demonesses for my lord to sample," Jaken squawked in defense.

"Whatever, I don't wanna know," Inuyasha quickly said, holding up his hands. He didn't really care what his brother was up to. It was better this way since he wouldn't have to report shit. Inuyasha swiftly departed for the infirmary, hoping to track down Kagome.

As usual, she was sitting in the infirmary hunched over some herbs.

"Yo, wench! What you been up to?" Inuyasha shouted across the room.

Kagome practically jumped out of her skin at the sudden noise, knocking over one of the jars of herbs. "Inuyasha! When did you get back?" she squeaked out. Normally she would not be so flustered, but she had been putting together a potent aphrodisiac at the behest of one of the maids. The maid was newly mated, but the male had been resisting her advances to protect her from his more beastial urges. It was sweet, but the maid was going crazy with her own heat. Kagome had agreed to make an aphrodisiac to give to her mate. It was normal that healers get such requests. No harm done as long as it wasn't for impure motives. But she couldn't help the blush that creeped up everytime she stopped to think about just what she was concocting.

Inuyasha gave her a funny stare, but let it drop. "So, how you doing with the mating season craze? I woulda thought Sesshomaru would have locked you up and put a thousand barriers around you so that nothing male could approach," he joked.

Kagome knew how protective inuyoukai were of their pack. "I don't think anything with a brain would approach me just with this mark," she dryly commented, holding up her wrist where the pack mark resided. "Besides, I haven't seen Sesshomaru for four days now."

"Seriously?" Inuyasha whistled. Maybe his brother has a dick afterall. 'A late bloomer? By three centuries? No that's retarded,' he mused to himself.

"What? Is something wrong with Sesshomaru," Kagome innocently asked. It was the spring heat cycle, but if Inuyasha found his behavior strange, then maybe something was wrong. Maybe he was passed out sick in his room and no one knew because they all thought it was the heat?

Inuyasha glanced at the girl's genuinely concerned face. A sly grin began to curve his lips. This was a perfect chance to torment his brother. Kagome smelled good, even if she wasn't in heat. Even if the bastard was always in control, he was still discomforted by his heat no? It was about time the bastard understood what it was like to be a common demon. A female flouncing around so close had to give him a 'tent'.

Schooling his face into one of worry, Inuyasha muttered, "That bastard is always overdoing it. The showoff…probably hasn't had sleep in over a week." That would surely get the miko to check up on him. It'd be priceless to see his brother squirm in repressed lust. His brother was too frosty to succumb to carnal desires, and he would never hurt a pack member anyway. It was perfect.

"You think? Maybe I should just make sure he's eating his meals…" Kagome hesitated.

"Yeah, he needs something to distract him enough to stop. He'd never rest if left alone," Inuyasha chimed.

"Yeah, you're right. He's pretty lousy at that huh. I'll bring him some tea later," Kagome said, nodding in approval at her plan. Inuyasha's devious smile grew even wider. He turned around to hide it and waved off to the miko.

A short while later, Kagome was gently knocking on Sesshomaru's door, holding a small tray of tea. "Sesshomaru? Are you alright?"

Sesshomaru tensed. 'Why is she here?" he mentally panicked. The last few days had been agonizing, and Sesshomaru was completely drained. He had kept his wits about him at the sacrifice of food and sleep. As long as he maintained high concentration at his task, he could fend off the insatiable lust. But now SHE was here. The one person he wanted, the one person he avoided, and the one person that would unravel his thinning fortitude. Still, he resisted. He growled ferociously in warning.

Anyone else would have run after hearing the bone chilling growl. The message was clear even to Kagome's human ears – leave or die. However this was Kagome, and she would not leave until she knew he was well. "C'mon, it's Kagome. Inuyasha and I are worried about you. I haven't seen you for four days," she implored.

'That filthy hanyou will pay for this,' Sesshomaru roared in his head. He knew the mutt had something to do with this. He snarled louder.

Kagome puffed her cheeks in irritation at the rebuff. "Quit being so stubborn. I'm just bringing you some tea," she fumed, shoving the door open.

The miko passed through his barrier without a snag. Sesshomaru couldn't keep the woman out. His instincts were clamoring to mate with her, and his youki refused to do his bidding. Vanilla and lavender suffused the room. Sesshomaru's eyes bled red.

Kagome had barely stepped into the room when Sesshomaru's massive form materialized in front of her, slamming the door closed and caging her between the door and his arms. The tea cup slipped from her hands and broke into a thousand pieces on the floor beside her. However Kagome didn't even notice.

All her attention was on the panting, crimson eyed demon before her. MALE demon. He was completely naked and his skin was radiating enough heat to sublime an iceberg. The predatory gleam in his torquise irises made Kagome's breath hitch in her throat.

Then he shifted his intense stare to bury his nose into the crook of her neck. The claws that left deep gouges in the door on either side of her head were instantly at her waist and threading through her hair. His hot touch easily penetrated the thin kimono. A long rough tongue lapped a scorching trail along her neck and collar bone. "Sesshomaru," Kagome gasped as electric sparks flew from her neck straight to her core. He was doing things to her body, and she couldn't stop the lewd responses.

Sesshomaru drew her closer, crushing his lips over hers and dominating her succulent mouth as he ground his weeping member into her stomach. Kagome melted as soon as he passionately ravaged her mouth. All coherent thought evaporating along with her inhibition. Desire was pumping through her fluttering heart and an unquenchable ache was building between her legs.

The sensual whimpers and moans from his female were driving Sesshomaru insane. He was feral and wanted nothing more than to thrust his throbbing cock into her tight sheath. The hand around her waist lowered and squeezed her pert bottom and lifted her just enough to align her core with his length. Sesshomaru groaned, shoving his woman harder against the door and undulating his hips in wild abandon against her clothed core. He nipped at her neck. "Mine," came his guttural claim.

Kagome could barely understand his gravelly voice. When it finally registered, her heart constricted with hope and yearning. Gods she wanted him. Not just physically. Kagome was greedy. She wanted all of him, mind, body and soul. After recognizing the blossoming feelings of love, she had tried to suppress her desires. She was an outcast miko, a nobody. Logically, she knew that even in the impossible circumstance where he did return her feelings, she could never be with him. It would surely lead to his downfall, and she refused to be the cause.

But as she gazed into his lustful eyes and felt his needy hands worshipping her like she was the sexiest, most desirable female to ever walk the earth, her logic crumbled to dust. She reveled in the safety and warmth of his embrace. Why did he have to make her feel so goddamned special? She closed her eyes. This was all so wrong, but she couldn't muster the resolve to resist him.

Sesshomaru tore his mouth from her honeyed lips only to lock onto her neck. 'Too much clothes,' the singularly intact thought pranced through his mind. And in the next second he had cut clean through her obi with his claws.

When the cool air hit her bare skin, Kagome's eyes shot open. She wasn't sure if it was virginal modesty or fear of the unknown that finally shocked her out of his seductive haze. Reality hit her like a ton of bricks. "Sesshomaru!" she cried out urgently, pushing against his rock solid chest.

The anxiety and fear emanating from Kagome stilled Sesshomaru immediately. In one crystal clear moment, turquoise reverted to gold and he gazed at the tousled, partially undressed woman in his arms. Her sapphire eyes were swimming with too many emotions to name. One lusious breast was trapped in his clawed grasp, while his other hand was palming her firm bottom. She was breathing hard and her arousal hung in the air. However, overpowering that scent was the scent of her panic and fear.

Gods what had he almost done? Sesshomaru backed off and burst from his room in a glowing orb, streaking across the lands.

Without his support, Kagome slid limply to the ground. She clutched her kimono closed, and stared dazedly at the empty room. 'What just happened?'

A naked, feral, Sesshomaru. It was the most arousing sight she had ever witnessed in her life.

She gingerly touched her still tingling lips. 'So hot,' her mind lasciviously whispered. She could still feel Sesshomaru's feverish hands squeezing and fondling her body. Kagome shifted, feeling the slick wetness between her legs.

Whimpering with need, she struggled to her feet. She had to get out of there before she started pleasuring herself right there on Sesshomaru's bedroom floor. Never had she been so horny, but virginal modesty definitely won out on this one. She fled to her room. Her brain would process what had just occurred another time.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru had transformed back to his humanoid form and was tearing through the forest. He was near the sea abutting his lands before he stopped. The run helped marginally to burn off the pent up frustration, but the cool wind against his bare skin felt good, too good. His moment of clarity was gone.

Sesshomaru settled on a tree branch, well hidden in the foliage. The heat and pressure was too much in his groin. He gripped his painfully throbbing cock and began frantically stroking for completion. The more he thrust and tugged, the more it hurt. But the pain was well worth the pleasure the frenzied motions brought. Sesshomaru grunted and groaned as he forced his hand to go faster.

Just when the pain and pressure became unbearable, Sesshomaru released with a powerful explosion of semen. He hissed as the burning fluid streamed out, coating the leaves and branch in front of him. A few shudders later, he was released from the clutches of his orgasm and fell back against the tree.

The fleeting relief was quickly replaced with unforgiving heat. His turgid length was unsatisfied, and wouldn't be until it was buried deep in the miko's warmth. Sesshomaru opened his eyes, refusing to give into the fantasies playing in his mind.

Crack…rustle.

Apparently his heat had attracted several demonesses in the area. One, a dog demoness, was currently climbing the tree to his location. He growled low, warning her to leave.

She paused, confused. It was obvious that the strong alpha male was in desperate need of a female to quench his lust on, and she was an alpha female. It was perfect. Could he not sense her power? She prowled closer. "Alpha, I can feel your heat," she seductively growled. Jumping up higher, she settled herself on a branch in front of Sesshomaru. She went down on her hands and knees, presenting her glistening wet pussy to his view. "Don't you want it?" she wantonly begged in the proper inu position.

Sesshomaru's irises flashed turquoise and a deadly rumble erupted from his chest. His poison whip slashed out and cut the branch the demoness was perched on. She fell with a yelp back onto the ground. "Leave, or this Sesshomaru will cut you down next time," he harshly warned. The demoness scampered off without another look back.

Any other heat cycle and he would have just rutted the demoness. Sesshomaru could practically taste the strong bloodline indicating her alpha status, definitely noble descent. It was rare to find such a distinguished rutting partner when the encounter was clearly casual. Although, Sesshomaru would take nothing less than alphas to bed. He'd normally select from the slew of willing alpha females that Jaken would prepare at the Western Citadel during this season in case he decided to indulge.

But this was not a normal heat. When the demoness presented herself like that, every instinct and fiber of his being revolted at the sight. He didn't want any of these pathetic creatures. No. There was only one that he wanted, and his instincts would not let him stray from his chosen.

Sesshomaru clawed at a nearby branch in frustration. More females were approaching, some strong, some obviously omegas. Yet he could not force his body to partake in a casual rut even to relieve the suffocating lust. His mating instincts were in full drive, and as an inuyoukai, it meant only one would do. Kagome.

Sesshomaru erected a barrier around the tree before any females could get closer. He really would kill the next one to approach. He settled in for another long night.

When Sesshomaru orbed back to his bed chambers three days later, he was ready to collapse onto the bed. 'Never again,' he told himself. He was so mentally tired after a week of battling his instincts that all he wanted was to slip into oblivion and never wake up. Instead, he allowed himself a soft sigh and went to the hot springs.

He could finally relax after getting the pine and semen smell from his skin. Sesshomaru immediately fell into a dreamless sleep, the first rest he'd had in over a week.


	24. Chapter 24

CHINGGGG

The blades rang crisply in the early morning air as they met. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were again locked together and glaring at each other.

"I got nothin' to do with you not finding a good rut so quit taking it out on me," Inuyasha grumbled. The heat cycle was over, and before he knew what was going on, Sesshomaru had attacked him.

"This has nothing to do with this one's voluntary abstinence," Sesshomaru flatly replied. He slammed his sword down further, forcing Inuyasha to retreat before his knees buckled. "You imbecile! What possessed your nonexistent brain to summon Kagome into my presence?" Sesshomaru scathingly asked.

Inuyasha smirked despite his bedraggled appearance. "What? She cracked your icy balls? Finally got a taste of what lust feels like?" he taunted.

Sesshomaru lunged, intent on removing the smug face from that empty shell he called a head. "Fool!" he snarled, his eyes were tinting pink. Inuyasha was flung deep into the ground. The air was filled with dust from the impact.

Inuyasha groaned before rolling away from the clawed hand about to impale him. "Fuck, Sesshomaru. You were gonna punch a hole in my gut weren't you?" he asked in offended incredulity.

"Hm." That level of pain was nothing compared to what he suffered this past week, Sesshomaru thought. His claws started dripping with poison as he doused the crater with enough poison to melt a tower.

Inuyasha stared at the bubbling vat of poison that had been the crater he was in a half second ago. He paled. His brother might just kill him. Inuyasha couldn't remember the last time his brother was so pissed. "H-Hey, it was just a joke!" he started to appease.

Sesshomaru flung his whip out, capturing the hanyou's ankle and flinging him high into the sky. A quick succession of slashes followed and Inuyasha's blood fell from the sky like rain.

"Augghh," Inuyasha yelped. "C'mon, Sesshomaru. Calm down. I didn't mean it. You're never affected much by the heat cycle. And Kagome's pack. There was no way you'd actually rut with her," he frantically explained before his brother could launch another attack.

"And why would I not rut with the alpha female of our pack," Sesshomaru bit out. He grabbed Inuyasha by the throat and slammed him against a boulder. "Did it not occur to your feeble mind that I could have hurt her?" he snarled barely an inch from his brother's face.

Inuyasha stilled his struggling at Sesshomaru's inadvertent admission. "You lost control?" he choked out in pure shock. Sesshomaru's hand instantly left his throat and he turned his back to him. "Holy shit…"Inuyasha mumbled. A demon of Sesshomaru's caliber would only succumb to mindless instincts during a heat if he was denied the female he intended to mate. "You wanted to mate her, didn't you?" he whispered aghast. He stared at his brother's back as if the answer would magically appear.

Sesshomaru walked away. His silence answered the question well enough. He had wanted to miam his brother a little more before the idiot figured it out. Regardless the damage to his relationship with Kagome was already done. He just hoped she wouldn't fear him after his assault.

Sesshomaru still hadn't decided on what to say the next day when he met the miko face to face. He stared at the woman's blushing face in silence. They were in the garden outside Sesshomaru's chambers and the moon was high.

Kagome stared up at the demon lord's passive face. It was completely unreadable and guarded. The awkward silence dragged on. There were so many things Kagome wanted to ask Sesshomaru regarding that night, but she was too afraid to utter them. What were his intentions? Why did he do it? Did he love her, or was she just the closest female available? Instead, she swallowed her curiosity. The answers didn't really matter. Her wish to be with him would never come true. She had to bury these unhealthy emotions. Besides, Sesshomaru was obviously not himself that day. The heat cycle must have really affected him.

"Aha…it was pretty stupid of me to go to you during your heat cycle huh. As a human I really didn't understand what this season meant. Hehe, hope you weren't too traumatized holding a human," Kagome lightly joked.

Sesshomaru instantly understood the out the miko was giving him. His eyes softened slightly at the girl's attempt to smooth things over for his sake. "Women and demonesses are largely similar…though your development is particularly infantile," he played along.

Kagome's eyes immediately turned hard. "Are you calling me underdeveloped?" she fumed.

"Hm."

"Such a conceited, arrogant, infuriating demon…not everyone can have a godly body like his," she mumbled under her breath.

Sesshomaru's chest swelled with pride at the words not meant for his ears. The miko found him attractive. Of course. He had yet to meet a female that didn't appreciate his masculine charm.

Kagome glared at him in disgust as if she had heard his thoughts. She snorted. "But I've seen better," she sniffed with all the self-importance she could muster. She was bluffing. The only thing she'd seen 'better' than the eye full of candy she got in Sesshomaru's room was the image provided by her own rampant imagination afterward.

Sesshomaru's haughty smugness immediately turned into a frown. If they were just talking about male physique, there were none that could exceed him, no? He almost growled at the thought of his miko oogling some other male. "And praytell why a miko was gazing upon another with such impure thoughts?"

Kagome shrugged nonchalantly. "I can't help seeing what is presented to me. Afterall, I am not blind," she airily responded. She knew the attitude would irritate him.

"Then it is up to this one to ensure your sights don't…stray. It would be unbecoming for a female of this Sesshomaru's pack to be labeled a lecher," he rumbled in a deep baritone as he closed the distance between them. The miko's scent spiked with arousal at his sultry tone. Sesshomaru gave a dangerous smile.

Kagome gulped and looked for an escape. This game was quickly turning into something dangerous. Sesshomaru affected her like no other, and now he was manipulating his advantage to the fullest. The jerk. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. 'He hasn't won yet.'

"Oh?" she huskily murmured. Remembering how sensitive his pelt was, she wrapped her hand around the fur and sent a large dose of healing reiki through it. The reiki wouldn't hurt him, but it'd at least tickle.

Sesshomaru clenched his teeth to prevent a moan from escaping. He couldn't prevent from shivering at the delectable sensations.

And then Kagome was gone, taking Sesshomaru's rooted moment to flee from his overwhelming presence. Her face was flaming as she thought about how she just tried to entice the great demon lord. Even if it didn't work, he was at least frozen from shock. Gods, when had their harmless teasing changed to tense flirting? Flirting! Kagome's embarrassment soared to new heights.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was exercising his reknowned control to stop from chasing down the little vixen. Logically, he knew what the miko had done to escape, and commended her for the courageous action. Her embarrassment was the only thing that convinced Sesshomaru not to follow his instincts. She wasn't really serious and probably had no idea how much her taunt actually affected him. He had not anticipated his toying to be thrown right back at him. 'She'd be a hellcat in bed,' the errant thought floated through his mind. Sesshomaru squashed it with an iron fist – along with the stone bench in his path. Yet another thing the servants would have to replace.

Kagome bolted upright from her bed soaked in cold sweat. It was dark, definitely past midnight. Her hands were still shaking with adrenaline as she drew in uneven breaths. 'It's just a dream,' she repeated to herself. A squalid dungeon…chains…blood…semen. She threw the covers off and got out of bed, trying to dissipate the horrible afterimages. The overwhelming sense of helplessness plagued her. She grabbed a spare yukata and headed for the hot spring.

Kagome had been haunted by nightmares of Sesshomaru's unthinkable past ever since the time in the void. She couldn't get the image of the crying and battered boy Sesshomaru out of her mind. Every few nights, the dream would come. She peeled the damp robe from her body and slid into the steamy water.

But she couldn't help the past. She knew this. Yet…

Another flash of young Sesshomaru – this time his eyes were dull and broken.

Kagome splashed more water on her face. She cleaned her body obsessively, trying to distract her mind from the unwanted memories. After donning the clean yukata, she slowly walked back to her room.

Outside the door, she paused. There was no way she'd fall back asleep. Sighing, Kagome turned down a hallway and out to the garden. She didn't have a destination, but her feet brought her in front of the cherry tree Sesshomaru favored. The night was balmy and not a demon stirred in the castle.

She folded herself underneath the tree, and brushed her hands along the soft cherry blossom petals near her. It was childish really. This craving for company. She felt like a little girl wanting to run to her mother's room after waking from a nightmare. She wanted someone to hold her and tell her everything was alright. Kagome curled herself tighter.

Suddenly, an unnatural gust blew by and before her were black boots. Kagome raised her eyes, already knowing who the shoes belonged to. "Sesshomaru."

"You are not asleep," he stated. The underlying question was apparent.

Kagome glanced away, unsure of how to broach the topic of her restlessness.

Sesshomaru studied the unusually quiet woman, and then settled against the tree trunk beside her. This was a conversation that wouldn't contain the playfulness of their daylight interactions. He did not press, knowing she would break the silence in due time. They had reverted to teasing banter during the past week since his heat. It was what they were comfortable with, and neither had been willing to break the unspoken truce not to discuss the changes in their relationship since the void and his heat. Only now, in the dead of night when sensibility waned, did he dare to drop the shield of dry humor. Evidently she was the same.

"I dream," she softly began. "Sometimes the scene is different, but the horror is the same."

Kagome reached over and gripped Sesshomaru's hand like a lifeline. "I couldn't help you. I can't help you. It is the past, but not." She looked at him then. Her depthless azure orbs were drowning in dread, regret, helplessness.

"The past cannot be changed," Sesshomaru finally said.

"I know. I _know,_" she murmured, pulling away from him and reaching for some ghost of the past. "I just…" she trailed off as her hands met nothing but air.

Then, Sesshomaru's hand was upon hers. "You do help," he solemly proclaimed.

The tug brought Kagome's attention back to the present as she focused on the adult, and not the child. She trailed the hard line of his jaw with a soft finger. "But how? You are strong now." 'I am not needed anymore,' she mentally ended.

Sesshomaru bore into her tortured soul before gazing unseeingly at the cherry blosssoms. "It is enough that you understand," he quietly admitted. Another long silence followed. This time it was Kagome who studied him.

"The nightmares used to come every sleep cycle," he continued.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Is that why you slept so infrequently?"

Sesshomaru simply nodded. 'Until your presence distracted my mind, and filled it with thoughts and dreams of you,' he thought only to himself. "I have not dreamed of the past since the void."

He spoke so softly, Kagome almost missed his words. It was obvious Sesshomaru was not comfortable sharing something so private. He was revealing his weakness to her – only her. Kagome squeezed his hand tighter. "Thank you, Sesshomaru," she murmured with feverent intensity. She hoped it conveyed all the feelings she wasn't ready to voice. 'Thank you for sharing your past with me. Thank you for revealing your weakness to me. Thank you for alleviating my fears. Thank you for showing that I mattered to you. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you.'

They sat together in peaceful silence until Kagome's head fell on Sesshomaru's shoulder in sleep. Sesshomaru did not move her, finding her weight on his person particularly pleasing. The first rays of dawn finally convinced him to carry Kagome back into her room.


	25. Chapter 25

Three days later, Lord Ryora of the North and his youngest daughter Kagura arrived at the Western citadel. They sat in two lavish palanquins amidst a majestic procession that displayed the lordship's wealth and might. Rows of servants carrying mounds of jewels, and glamorously armored soldiers marched in perfect formation through the streets to the castle. It spoke volumes of Ryora's control over the dragons to be able to produce such less than a year after winning the throne.

Servants evenly uniformed bowed to the Northern lord's procession. At the top of the stairs, Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, Seri, and Kagome awaited the lord. They were all fully decked out in exquisite silks that told of their place in Sesshomaru's pack.

Sesshomaru wore a more finely woven and textured version of his gleaming white haori and hakama. The family crest was in a deep royal blue with a silver moon and flowers. Over the emsemble was an elaborately embroidered long vest jacket of matching royal blue with thin veins of silver. White boots rimmed with silver reaching mid calf secured the billowing hakama legs. He wore no armor in deference to theLord of the North, but Tenseiga and Bakusaiga were proudly strapped to his side. All in all, he fully looked the part of his royal blood. Kagome thought he looked like a warrior god, untouchable and incomparable.

Lord Ryora stepped down from his palanquin in his full glory. He was wrapped in fine silks stained in the solid colors of his house – sky blue and fern green. Ancestral dragon claws drapped around his shoulders, the equivalent to Sesshomaru's pelt. A sapphire diamond adorned his forehead and his lightning blue hair was pulled back in a high braid. Ryora was terribly beautiful, just like the other demon lords. Cold maroon eyes locked on Sesshomaru's golden ones. They studied each other, gauging strength.

Finally Ryora smirked. "Greetings Lord Sesshomaru. I'm glad our first meeting is across a table instead of a battlefield," he confidently boomed.

"This Sesshomaru welcomes Lord Ryora and his progeny to the House of the Moon," Sesshomaru formally addressed. The rest of his pack bowed slightly in unison at his words. "The members before you are This Sesshomaru's pack. Inuyasha, second son of Inu no Taisho, and beta. Kagome, high miko from the Holy Village, and palace healer. Seri, elder of the Eagle Owl Clan, and palace healer."

Ryora's eyes widened as he listened to the woman get addressed before the elder demoness. The order of introduction meant the miko was alpha female! He barely caught himself from blurting out the question circling through his head. The only thing that stayed his tongue was the icy glare Sesshomaru leveled at him when he openly stared at the miko. Clearing his throat, Ryora tore his eyes from the mysterious miko and continued with introductions. "I present to you Kagura, youngest and most powerful of my daughters. She is sired through the late Lady Kimiko, the most powerful heiress of the Wind Dragons."

Kagura stepped forward and curtsied gracefully. She was beautiful. Her wavy hair was piled in delicate curls above her head and laced with small gems that brought out her swirling dark pink eyes. Those entrancing eyes were set in a pale, peach-shaped face with blood red lips. She was swathed in luxurious colors of the north patterned in broad diagonal stripes. The silks only accented her perfectly shaped body. Her dainty clawed hands held a large gold fan with a sky blue dragon painted on the upper right edge. She was a vision to behold and Kagome felt a twinge of jealousy.

Sesshomaru glanced at the flawless demoness and nodded in acknowledgement before focusing back on the lord.

"Follow Jaken to your rooms to rest. Negotiations will begin tomorrow. A banquet in your honor is being held tonight. The servants will see to all your needs. If there is nothing further, we will recommune at dinner," Sesshomaru directed.

When everyone dispersed, Kagome's heart was heavy. There had been talk among the servants that the Northern lord was bringing his daughter as part of the peace negotiations. Kagome had ignored the gossip, denying the possibilities that such a demoness entailed. However, after seeing the gorgeous demoness, reality finally caught up with Kagome. She wasn't stupid. Kagura was royalty born from pure, strong demon bloodlines. She was the perfect match for one like Sesshomaru. Given the war that almost broke out between the two lands, a mating was the easiest way to calm the waters.

Kagome thought she had buried her hopes to be with Sesshomaru. She was wrong. Just seeing Kagura had made her want to scream her heartbreak and bring down the heavens. Instead, she used the entirety of her will to keep her aura even and mask her emotions. Now inside a tight barrier in her room, Kagome collapsed. She curled herself on the bed as tears silently streamed down her face. Hadn't she told herself that being near Sesshomaru was enough? When had she become so greedy as to want Sesshomaru completely to herself? Hadn't she known this was coming? How did her resolve become so weak?

When Kagome came down to the banquet, her aura and scent were firmly sealed so that they would not change with her fluctuating emotions. The confidence she carried herself with belied the crushing despair that continued to suffocate her since her private tears.

Conversation was kept light through dinner. Kagome couldn't remember a single word. She had been uncharacteristically quiet. She could not trust herself to speak without giving away her sorrow. Thankfully, Inuyasha and Seri were doing enough talking to make up for her silence. Their cordial air loosened the formal atmosphere. Soon, the music took precedence over the food.

"Dancing is customary, is it not?" Ryora hinted to Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru understood the meaning. He stood and offered his hand to Kagura for a dance. It could be construed as an insult if he did not partake in the festivities, but he couldn't help glancing at Kagome when a dance was first suggested.

The two glided across the floor, enchanting everyone in the grand hall. Sesshomaru and Kagura. Both were stunning, with matching stoic faces that exuded dignity, and possessing grace that was unique even among demons.

Kagome's heart constricted further. Kagura was a cool beauty, just like Sesshomaru. She carried herself with a royal bearing, spoke with refined class, and danced like she was born to do it. Moreover, she had great power that was untainted with ambition. Kagome could sense the demoness held no interest in the politics her father was so keen about. Kagura was not evil. Her intuition told her this.

But gods how she wished the demoness was hiding something – like she was actually hideous and merely disguised herself as a goddess; or she was really an evil rivaling Naraku; or even if she was just an unpleasant bitch. Kagome mentally whimpered. 'Gods, when have I become such a deplorable person?' she questioned herself. The dark thoughts she just had of Kagura were terrible. Her parents would roll in their graves if they knew what she was thinking. It only made Kagome hate herself more.

She lifted her gaze to follow the dazzling pair twirling about the cavernous room of marble with anguished longing. It was pure torture. A kind she could stand not a moment longer. Turning away, she found Seri and pleaded tiredness to retire for the night.

Seri knew what was really bothering the girl, and agreed to her pitiful begging eyes. Seri sighed. It seems the miko's love was not meant to be. She was impressed the girl held up so well thus far. Maybe she was stronger than Seri had thought. The old owl demoness sure hoped so. The sooner the girl recovered from this heartbreak, the sooner she could move on. Seri heaved another weary sigh.

Kagome practically ran back to her room. She shut herself inside and erected a barrier as her heartwrenching sobs broke through. A horrible wail tore from her throat only to be stopped by a fit of loud sobs. Kagome cried until she could cry no more, and still the tears continued. It seemed like she would never stop. She clutched a pillow, trying to steady her shaking body.

A thunderstorm was raging outside. "Momma…momma…" Kagome chanted brokenly. The last time she had cried so thoroughly was when her parents passed. She hadn't wanted to feel this level of agony for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, the fates had not spared her.

Kagome didn't know how long had past before she regained control of her body. It was still storming outside. She numbly walked to the desk in her room and pulled out a small blank scroll. She wrote until there was nothing else left. Then, Kagome carefully rolled the scroll back up, set it on the bed, and jumped out her bedroom window into the pouring night.

The next day, Sesshomaru was enclosed in his study with Ryora hashing out the details to the peace treaty between the North and the West.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ryora hissed.

Sesshomaru stared at the dragon impassively. "This Sesshomaru refuses to mate anyone at this time, not just your offspring. This Sesshomaru will be selecting a mate by Demon Rite. If you wish for This Sesshomaru to mate one of yours, then enter her in the rite," he calmly elaborated.

"Then what of our negotiations?" Ryora asked, more puzzled than angry now. Ryora was sure his daughter was most likely the strongest demoness in the lands, and as a good a match as the dog demon was going to find. When a demon invoked demon rite, he would be relinquishing his right to choose a mate. Instead, the demon was agreeing to mate the winner to arise from a bloody competition between all eligible and willing females. It would not matter if the female was horrendous and foul, as long as she was the strongest and could bear healthy young, Sesshomaru would have to accept her. Ryora had no idea why he would risk such when Kagura would have been perfect.

"There should be other resources that should be mutually satisfactory. This Sesshomaru proposes the establishment of a trade route. The trade will be favorable to you as a show of good will. This Sesshomaru is serious about maintaining peace between the lands."

"What commodities are you proposing?" Ryora warily asked.

"The Western lands are known for the exquisite silks. The demonic silk worms only florish in a certain region in the West. There are also several master demon weavers residing in these lands as a result. The fabrics of the West are sought after by all other lands. This Sesshomaru offers to trade silk fabrics to the North in exchange for iron ore. Due to the terrain, the North is plentiful in ores and jewels. The West imports much of these items from elsewhere. This will be a suitable agreement," Sesshomaru explained.

Ryora considered the offer. It was true that the north seriously lacked silks and silk weavers. The skill of the western silk trade was evident in the attires Sesshomaru's pack had donned. They were like nothing Ryora had seen before, and much finer than what he and Kagura had been wearing, despite it being their best silks. As a dragon demon, he was easily swayed by wealth. Iron ore was worth less than food in the barren lands of the North. It was definitely a trade benefitting himself more than Sesshomaru. The trading will also create a more reliant and amicable relationship between the two lands, thus satisfying the peace treaty.

"This would be acceptable given the terms are generous. Your refusal of a fitting mating is bothersome," Ryora hedged. "Kagura could defeat any other demoness. Are you dissatisfied with the dowry amount? Dowries from Demon Rite are known to be extravagant in order to secure a prominent position should the demon have multiple mates. Do you desire a greater dowry?" he asked, curious.

Sesshomaru held the growl that threatened to spill. He did not have to explain anything to the dragon. But for the sake of future support, Sesshomaru replied, "Strong bloodlines can only be secured by strong mates. This Sesshomaru will follow demon tradition to find one most worthy of the title. It is more prudent to resolve issues of politics without personal influences. Should the mating prove unsuccessful, would you want it to dictate how relations between the two lands develop?"

"Your point is a good one. I accept the refused mating proposal in favor of the trade route. Although, you should be prepared for Kagura's entry into the Demon Rite. Let us discuss the logistics of such a deal," Ryora conceded.

Sesshomaru mentally smirked in triumph. He was able to avoid the mating without damaging the peace negotiations. The only issue was that he locked himself into a Demon Rite. It was the only way to get Kagome by his side, but it came at a high price. If Kagome entered, her life would be at risk. Sesshomaru wasn't sure if he could stomach that possibility. He had known of Demon Rite since before his search to find a way to keep Kagome. But he had avoided it for this very reason.

For now, whether the miko entered the Demon Rite did not matter. He had been unable to find any other alternative after scouring the library, and if Kagome did not enter, he did not care who else won. Judging by the level of power Kagura was emitting, it would most likely be her. The demoness was not unsuitable. 'But she was not Kagome,' his heart whispered. Sesshomaru shook himself from his musings. He had to focus on the peace treaty first.

The next hours were spent detailing the quantities, route, and timing for trade. Protection personnel would also be needed to ensure proper delivery and other means for short orders. The two lords continued well into the night, only stopping to have meals brought to them.

It was close to midnight when Sesshomaru emerged from his study. He stalked straight to the miko's room. Her presence had been sorely missed over the last day and a half. He craved the calming nights when they shared each other's company, often under the cherry tree. Maybe he could discuss the Demon Rite with her tonight. He knew the miko cared for him, but wasn't sure if she'd go so far to mate him. It made Sesshomaru's gut flutter in strange nervousness.

He stopped in front of Kagome's door, pausing to force his heartrate down to normal. Why was he so unsettled? He was unaccustomed to the feeling. Giving up on calming his nerves, Sesshomaru knocked. Strangely a barrier was in place. He brushed off the concern. The miko was probably being careful since the lord of the north was here.

Minutes ticked by. Was the miko asleep? However, his instincts told him otherwise. Dread slowly started seeping into his bones. When was the last time he saw her? How had she been? Something had been bothering her at the banquet, but it didn't seem that serious, and then he'd been distracted by the treaty. Sesshomaru knocked louder. Something was wrong. His instincts were screaming at him.

Sesshomaru swelled his youki and busted through the barrier on the room. Suddenly, he knew what was wrong. Her scent was old in the room. And her presence, which he thought had been hidden behind the barrier, was not there.

Sesshomaru's eyes were quickly bleeding red. He howled, long and low, summoning the rest of his pack.

Seri and Inuyasha burst through the unlocked door. "What's wrong?" Inuyasha snarled, his red eyes were darting across the room.

"Where is she?" Sesshomaru rumbled in the coarse voice of his semi-transformed state.

Seri gasped as understanding dawned. "Oh no…"

Sesshomaru let loose a deafening growl, demanding to know what Seri knew.

Seri fell to her knees. "Kagome had retired early last night…s-she was devastated. This morning when I found her room barricaded, I decided not to push matters. She needed time to heal, and wouldn't want an audience to her tears. Forgive me. I should have suspected this," Seri rushed out.

"You make no sense, old hag," Inuyasha rounded on Seri. "What the fuck are you talking about? Where is Kagome?"

Seri narrowed her eyes at the hanyou. "Idiot! It is not my place to say! She left after seeing the impending mating to the Northern Princess," Seri shouted. She grabbed Inuyasha by the ear. "And if I knew where she went, WE WOULDN"T BE HERE!" she shrieked.

Inuyasha was plastered to the floor holding his ears by the end of the owl's tirade.

Devastated? Is that what he was feeling right now? The idea momentarily shocked Sesshomaru enough to chase the red from his eyes. His chest was overflowing with ambivalent emotions. What was this heavy foreign feeling in his chest? He couldn't understand what it meant. All he knew was the unbearable agony that was constricting him into near paralysis. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

Seri looked to the confused, enraged demon lord with sadness. He really did not know what love was. "That is something you have to figure out yourself, my lord," Seri solemly said.

"She betrayed me! She left me," Sesshomaru roared, his eyes once again blood red. His chest was heaving with repressed rage and sorrow. The rejection was written all over his feral face.

Seri shook her head. "No, my lord. She made a decision for the sake of your own happiness. Would you be able to keep her, my lord? The West would fall if you did. Kagome knew this. And then she saw Lady Kagura. Please think, my lord. Those words and beads she left you. Do they not speak contrary to the actions you witness?"

Sesshomaru finally looked down at the things clenched in his fists. A string of average jade prayer beads and a small scroll. He didn't know what to think anymore. All he knew was the pain that was eating him from the inside, carving him hollow. He unfurled the scroll.

_Sesshomaru,_

_You must find me cowardly and ungrateful to say my goodbye to you in this way. Still, I wish for you to finish reading these last words. _

_It seems like a lifetime ago since we first met, at each other's throats. I don't know when you became more to me than an untouchable demon lord. But before I knew it, I had found a home with you. You gave me a place where I could belong, and a family I'd die for. Thank you. They are among the happiest times of my life. _

_However, it is time for me to move on. You may deny it, but one day I will become a burden to you. Let me leave while I still can. Know that my loyalty is forever yours – everything I know of the West will die with me. As a parting gift, I give you my most treasured possession – my father's prayer beads. They are not made of precious stones, but it is the last thing I have of my parents. They are imbibed with my father's will to protect, and filled with my power and desire to see that will through. Give them to your mate, future children, pack. Kagura is a good demoness. I wish for your happiness. _

_I resign my position as your pack member. You are released from any obligation to me. It is best to part on good terms. Please let me go. It is my last request to you. _

_Goodbye Sesshomaru,_

_Kagome_

Something inside Sesshomaru snapped. He lept out the window and transformed into his true form. A tormented howl echoed across the lands as he raced blindly across the sky. There was no scent trail to follow, no aura to feel, no lingering presence at the edge of his consciousness from his pack mark – nothing. Sesshomaru howled again in desperation. Kagome's aptitude was improving, but he would find her. She was HIS! Another howl tore through the night.

It was near daybreak when Sesshomaru returned, silently fuming. He had run through all of Japan to search for the girl. Traveling through his light orb usually drained him fast, but he was deaf to his screaming muscles and numb to the dead weight of his pelt. Inuyasha and Seri had knowingly been waiting in his study.

"Dispatch the best trackers, and alert the spies planted in neighboring lands. Inuyasha, you will comb all of Japan for her in This Sesshomaru's place. Do not return until you have found her. Seri, the Owl Clan will supplement personnel in this time of shortage. Naraku is still at large. This Sesshomaru will not take any existing soldiers from their current task of gathering intelligence on the cur. However, Kagome will be returned," he said with grim finality.

"Lord Sesshomaru, is it not better to leave her be?" Seri quietly asked.

Sesshomaru snapped his narrowed gaze to the slumped owl demon.

"The girl. You will crush her spirit if you keep her locked up, or make her your concubine. She deserves better, my lord," Seri pleaded in earnest.

Inuyasha sputtered at Seri's words. "Like HELL Sesshomaru will make her his concubine. I'll mate her before she has to be subjected to that shit," he shouted.

In the next second, Inuyasha was choking, suspended from Sesshomaru's steely grip on his windpipe. "Mine!" Sesshomaru snarled, his irises were flashing turquoise in red orbs as his youki threatened to squash everyone in the room. His sleek silver tresses were flying wildly, being buffeted by the raging winds of his youki. Sesshomaru's claws bit further into Inuyasha's neck as they elongated.

A gurgled protested escaped from Inuyasha's purplish lips. Terror flashed through his eyes as they threatened to roll into the back of his head.

"Lord Sesshomaru! SESSHOMARU! Stop at once! What are you doing? And I thought Inuyasha was the brash one. You're going to kill him!" Seri urgently shrieked. The words fell on deaf ears. Seri trembled under the weight of his terrible youki, dropping to her knees.

"KAGOME WOULD NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" she screamed in one last ditch effort.

Suddenly, his oppressive youki was gone and Inuyasha was crumpled on the ground, coughing and sucking in precious air. Already, Sesshomaru's poison was starting to make the hanyou shake. His neck was raw, the skin having long since melted, and his throat starting to swell shut from the poison.

Seri rushed out the door, intent on getting to the infirmary where the antidote to dokkasou lay.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru continued to glare unblinkingly at his brother. "She is _mine_," he uttered in a deadly whisper.

Inuyasha quickly held up a placating hand. "Yours…yours," he rasped out.

Finally back under control, Sesshomaru sat behind his desk, wordlessly brooding as Seri rushed back and flung the anti-venom down Inuyasha's throat. The swelling quickly went down, and the hanyou was breathing easy after ten minutes.

"Fuck… c'mon you knew I wasn't serious, least not about the mating part," Inuyasha croaked. His eyes were closed and his head rested against the wall he was propped up against.

Yes, Sesshomaru did know. Inuyasha blushed furiously under Kagome's tender caring, but he would probably resemble Jaken if a real mating was proposed. Kagome was like a sister and mother rolled into one – she was his best friend. Sesshomaru knew all this. But his protectiveness had surged out of control at the mere mention of someone else taking his Kagome. He didn't even know where that bout of youki had come from. He had thought his stores were empty after his fanatic search.

"Damn, you did all that to your beta knowing he was bluffing. I'd hate to see the sorry bastard that'd seriously suggest it. What are you gonna do with her if you won't allow anyone to mate her?" Inuyasha mumbled. Seri gavehim a warning glare, incredulous of his boundless stupidity to broach the subject again after what just happened.

"I will be the one to mate Kagome," Sesshomaru uttered in a deep baritone.

His response was met with two dropped jaws. Sesshomaru continued before anyone could interject. "She will win in Demon Rite thereby forcing the Demon Council to approve of her. With their support, there will be no large scale mutiny. Individuals will be dealt with by me, personally."

"You will be using that archaic method?" Seri pondered. Slowly, the path lightened and she gave a crooked smile. "Oh my, that might actually work."

"What the fuck. Those things are vicious. How can you be so sure some bitch won't claw out Kagome's eyes, or throat?" Inuyasha barked through his raw and scratchy throat.

"She is the most powerful female This Sesshomaru has ever encountered. Although her physical capabilities are weaker, do not underestimate her abilities after this half year of training," Sesshomaru stonily said, hiding the small thread of fear in his heart. Now that is has come to this, he will have to put faith in her. He was a selfish demon, and unless she truly rejected him, he will claim her.

Inuyasha nodded, and then winced at the action. Keeping his head immobile, he asked, "So what happened with that Kagura wench? Should we be preparing for some trouble from the North?" An image of the beautiful demoness flashed through his mind. She was one of the few demonesses that wasn't slobbering all over his brother. That in itself was enough for him to respect her as he had done with Kagome when she first came to the castle.

"The peace treaty was settled with a trade route establishment. Silk fabrics from the West in exchange for raw and processed iron ore, square meter for pound. Dragon fire can temper steel better than other fires, demonic or otherwise. Silk is reproducible, but ore is a limited commodity. While the trade is currently advantageous, the iron and steel will be worth more in a century or two. By then, the unrest will most likely have settled," Sesshomaru explained. He normally wasn't so generous, but the sight of Inuyasha's oozing neck reminded him of the apology he would never vocalize.

"Moron, if you already had everything figured out, you shoulda told us. Kagome wouldn't have run away if she knew," Inuyasha blurted out. He paled when he saw Seri's stricken expression. Stupid. When had he EVER got away with calling his brother names?

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his insolent brother. And how was he supposed to announce this without first declaring his intent to Kagome? The fact that his own cowardice had prevented him only grated on his nerves more. The idiot of a brother just didn't understand. "This Sesshomaru sees you are well enough to perform your assignment. Be gone before tonight. Contain your uncouth self. Stealth is of utmost importance. If This Sesshomaru finds that your loud mouth has led Naraku to the miko who has succeeded in evading even this one's senses, you will die a slow and painful death," Sesshomaru clipped severely.

Inuyasha gulped before scrambling out the study. He wasn't stupid enough to test his luck any further. Seri followed him out at a more sedate pace, already thinking of the sheer number of demons from her clan she'd have to call upon to blanket the neighboring lands with spies.


	26. Chapter 26

Two months later

A wolf demoness was just finished exchanging several animal pelts for a quiver of arrows and a plain kimono when a shrill scream broke the peace of the tiny village. The demoness turned to the hut at the edge of the market place where the sound had come from. Her feet began moving toward it before logic could beat her back.

"Help! We need a healer, quick!" a harried maid shouted, bursting from the hut. Travelers watched the maid in detached curiosity, while residents shook their heads and looked away.

"Please! Someone, anyone know of a healer close by? Our village healer died not long ago, and my mistress is having a hard birth. The midwife is at wits end. Please!" the maid shouted into the market where most of the unfamiliar faces clustered. Murmurs sounded throughout, but not a demon stepped forth with any useful knowledge.

The maid teared, knowing it was useless. Afterall, their village was a small port at the very Southern tip of Japan. The soil was poor from strong winds and dry heats. Instead, the village of mixed demons relied on fishing and trading. Many travelers by sea came and went through the village everyday, but that usually meant the travelers were from far away. Unless some wandering healer decided to show up, most would not know of a healer close enough for her to fly to. The horse demoness collapsed to the ground, still chanting about a healer as if one would magically appear by willpower alone.

Suddenly a hand stilled the maid's quaking form. The horse looked up to see the wolf demoness gently helping her up. "I am a healer, although birthings are not my specialty. I will help if I can," the wolf sympathetically said. The maid was glowing with gratitude and hope as she all but dragged the wolf demoness into the hut.

The stench of too much blood assaulted the demonesses as soon as the door was pulled open. Reclined in the crimson soaked futon was a rotundly pregnant demoness with flowing whispy purple hair and half-lidded grey eyes. She would have been beautiful if not for the ashen skin dotted in perspiration. Beside her was a trembling male, clutching the preganant demonesses hand for dear life.

"Sir, please step away as I try to heal your mate," the wolf demoness gently asked. As if breaking from a trance, the horse demon looked at the wolf with dull eyes. A speckle of light flickered to life in his gaze and he quickly backed up. "What you see might frighten you, but rest assured that I will not hurt her. Please do not attack me while I mend your mate," she said with steely resolve. The two horses could only nod.

The wolf quickly stepped forth and touched the demoness's round belly, assessing her state with a tendril of reiki. The maid gasped as she saw a wolf demoness harness pure energy.

The wolf tensesd as she felt no heartbeat coming from the belly. The baby was dead. And the mother would soon follow if the hemorrhaging did not stop. "I'm sorry," she whispered to the unconscious mother. She then stuck her hand inside and felt for the crown. Her fingers met two tiny protrusions - feet. The baby was breech. She continued to pull the still born out, trying to ignore the blood gushing onto her hand. The umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck as the baby and placenta was pulled free from the demoness's body. The cord, combined with the prolonged labor was what had ultimately killed the baby before it could even breathe its first breath.

The wolf demoness tried not to look at the baby as she forced a large surge of reiki into the dying mother. The healing energy quickly sealed the torn vessels and mended the tears. However, the mother's respiration remained fast and shallow. She had lost too much blood. The wolf demoness tried to use her reiki energize the precarious mother.

Meanwhile, many of the demons in the village had gathered around the hut. They all had felt the hair raising aura coming from the hut, but had no idea where it could have come from. Mikos were their mortal enemies, and none had ventured here in years. It was a demon village. Besides, what miko could slip into the heart of town without anyone detecting it?

A powerful one.

The thought had many of the weaker demons fleeing, while others were bristling outside the hut with their hands on their hilts. A burly owl demon stepped out from his stand and sent a messenger owl into the sky.

Over four hours later, the wolf demoness finally stopped pumping reiki into the still mother. The horse demoness was resting comfortably now, her heart and lungs no longer working hard to make up for the blood loss.

The wolf demoness slumped back on her seat, exhausted, but satisfied. The death of the baby was unfortunate, but as long as the mother was alive, there'd always be hope for more.

"What are you?" the horse demon tensely asked. His face flashed with warring distrust and gratitude.

The tired wolf glanced over at the jittery horse demons. "Your mate will live. Is it really important what I am?" she quietly asked.

The horse demon was silent for a long time before giving her a curt nod. "I thank you for your efforts. You may stay…but it is best if you depart soon from here," he tentatively offered.

The wolf demoness smiled and replied, "I will be gone by morning. Thank you." The demon calmed, but still skirted around her to his mate's side.

Suddenly, the entrance of the hut was swiped open and several irate demon villagers burst in. "What lies are you spewing, _miko_?" a tall bear demon spat. "Go from wence you came before we kill you!"

The wolf demoness stared steadily into the bear's flashing eyes. "Is that how you treat a healer who has saved the life of one of your fellow villagers? I have claws and ears like yours. While my energy is different, I live the life of a demon and hold no ill will towards any of you. Besides, I will be gone by morning after I have rested," she solemly said. The sadness in her light blue eyes belied the strength in her voice.

The bear sneered, deaf to the words and blind to the life saved. "You are not a demon! No demon can harness reiki. You are a filthy miko hiding in the skin of our kin!" He swung his club at the sitting 'miko'.

A reiki barrier instantly came up, protecting her from the crackling youki infused club. "I understand. I shall go now. Let me pass," she resigned.

"Don't think you can get out of this now that we have you cornered, bitch," the bear growled.

The wolf demoness stood and walked out the door of the hut, easily pushing the demons out with her barrier. She was tired and miserable, and these stubborn fools were not helping. 'Screw caution,' she thought. "My name is Kagome! And I could purify this entire village if I wanted to! However, I refuse to kill innocent demons because of your ingrateful attitude." The fire in her voice and aura died down a little when she saw the frightened faces of all around her. No one trusted her, not even the horse demon and his maid. "Just leave me be. I'm leaving, and I really don't mean any harm," she quietly said, and walked into the forrest, leaving a stunned mass behind her.

A little deeper into the forest, Vallen appeared before Kagome. "Hey, Val. Thanks for picking me up. We need to leave here again. I'm sorry we haven't been able to say anywhere for long. I thought this time I'd really be able to stay longer, but I messed up big time," she murmured to the black winged wolf. He woofed in comfort and nuzzled his mistress before transforming into his larger form. They traveled further into the uninhabited woods until they came to a large cliff. On a small outcropping stood Areta, with a cluster of young winged wolves. The outcropping wouldn't have been noticeable if not for their waiting forms. This crack on the side of a cliff had their home for over three weeks now.

Kagome sighed. Sometimes she wondered if it wouldn't be better to just let a stray demon or angry villager kill her. It'd be so easy. All she'd have to do is stop her powers from surfacing…

"No!" she said aloud, violently shaking her head. "You are stronger than that. Life is not something you carelessly throw away!" she shouted at herself. Still, Kagome slumped over on Vallen. By now, Areta and the young had come down and surrounded their alpha.

She slowly opened her eyes to gaze at the furry bundles in front of her. Vallen and Areta really didn't need her anymore. They could take care of themselves just fine. As for herself, she had never felt so dead inside. Her nights were haunted by him, and her days were spent running from reality. "What am I doing?" she whispered. Gods she was so tired. Tired of the running and hiding, tired of the constant ache in her chest, tired of missing everyone so damn much. She buried her head further into Vallen's thick coat.

Areta woofed suddenly, breaking the thick silence and jerking Kagome up. "Sorry Areta. It must be the night. I'm fine now. I'll do better, and we'll be like we were in no time. Alright! Everyone, let's start packing. We are leaving tonight."

Areta snorted, completely unconvinced, but glad that their alpha was not as depressed as before.

Just as Kagome got off Vallen, a flash of silver caught her eye. Kagome whirled around, eyes round and heart thumping. Nothing. She shut her eyes tightly. Who did she think would show up? Sesshomaru? Gods she was pathetic. She was starting to hallucinate.

"Kagome?" an all too familiar voice floated on the air to her ears. Kagome's eyes flew open, wildly searching around. But she did not have to search.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, shocked, fearful, and overwhelmingly happy.

At her utterance, Inuyasha came charging forward. "It IS you! Kagome!" he shouted as he barreled into her and swung her around. He wrapped her small form into a tight bear hug. "Gods, you stupid stupid stupid wench. Do you know how much trouble it took to find you? Idiot! Don't you ever leave again you stupid girl!"

Kagome sobbed and wheezed uncontrollably in his strong embrace, unable to say a word. Finally, minutes later, she was calm enough to speak. She turned one of the brightest smiles Inuyasha had ever seen onto him. "I missed you, Inuyasha! I'm sorry I worried you, but I'm fine. Vallen and Areta are with me, and their little fur balls are always hanging on me. I've never let down my barrier or illusion since leaving so I've been really safe. It's no big deal, and living out here is nice. It's so beautiful under the stars, and the clouds look different every-"

Inuyasha clamped a hand over her running mouth. "I missed you too, but you're not getting out of shit that easily. I have questions to ask you. Now," he said sternly.

It was odd to see Inuyasha acting the mature one, but Kagome wasn't sure she was ready for a serious rehash of the past. "Well, let's come inside for now," she said, pointing to the crack in the cliff. Inuyasha was atop the outcropping before Kagome had even mounted Vallen. He was impatient.

Kagome avoided looking at him as she started a fire and set a pot of water over it. She took out two tea cups as slowly as possible. But it seems there was no denying the hanyou.

"Why did you leave, Kagome?" he gushed out.

"It was time for me to leave…before I became someone I'd hate one day," Kagome gave in.

"What the fuck! That makes no sense. You're pack, and we all want you there," Inuyasha interjected in frustration. "I'd never hate you."

"NO! You don't understand! I was thinking such despicable thoughts about Kagura! Do you know I wanted her to be Naraku in disguise? Do you know I wanted her to fall on her face during that banquet? I-I wanted her to disappear!" Kagome screamed, as tears streamed down her face. "I thought such horrible thoughts about her, a person who has done nothing to me. All because I was jealous! Her beauty, her poise, her wealth, her bloodline. She is everything Sesshomaru needed for a mate. She is everything I want to be, and could never be. Do you understand now why I had to leave? Leave before I became a monster?" Kagome crumpled to the ground after her tirade. "Being with him isn't enough anymore. I'm so terrible. I love him. I don't want him to look at any other woman. I want him. But I'll never be good enough. I'm such a fool. I don't know why I fell in love with someone so impossibly out of my reach."

Inuyasha hugged the defeated girl to his chest. "Kagome…shhh…don't cry," he murmured into her soft hair. He continued to comfort her, rubbing her back and saying sweet nothings. When she was able to sit up without him again, she pushed him away.

"I can't go back. I'm sorry. It was good to see you again, but this should be the last time. No more," she firmly said. "I won't be able to survive another meeting like this. I'll break," she added, barely audible.

Inuyasha wacked her on the head. "Idiot!"

Kagome yelped, rubbing her head indignantly.

"I can't believe Seri was right. You love that bastard. Keh!"

"Hey! What was that for? You're such a jerk!" Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha grabbed the back of her neck, forcing her to look at him. "Look, if you still love that stick-up-the-ass dog, then we don't have a problem. Sesshomaru didn't mate Kagura. He made a peace treaty through a trading route formation. He wants you, Kagome."

Kagome blinked. "What?" she dumbly said.

Inuyasha let her go, and vigorously scratched the top of his head in frustration. "He's going to hold a Demon Rite just to get you, you know. He wants to mate you. This search? Sesshomaru practically kicked me out of the castle to search for you. He can't leave with the Northern alliance just forming and Naraku still out there. But he sent the entire fucking owl demon clan to stake out every damn village in Japan. The best trackers of the West are stationed in the West. How do you think we found you? Some owl demon reported back to me about a wolf demoness using reiki. It's lucky I was already in the South, otherwise you would have run away again wouldn't you?"

Kagome nodded. "I knew I'd have to move after helping that pregnant horse demoness, but I couldn't just leave her. She would have died. But what did you say about Sess-"

"Keh! Just like you. It's good you're like you are, or we'd never have found you. Do you know how many false reports of lone wolf demonesses I've had to follow up on? I haven't had a solid night's rest in two months!" Inuyasha ranted. "And that stinking wolf was no damn help. 'Smells like the forest and wolf.' Keh! Could he have given a more generic scent to follow? Damn wimpy wolf! I shoulda gutted him when I had the chance…"

"Wait! Inuyasha, you are making no sense. Are you talking about Kouga? What about Demon Rite? Start from the beginning," Kagome interrupted.

Inuyasha sighed and sat down. "You know Sesshomaru wants you right?"

Kagome shook her head. "T-That's not possible. He's kind and cared for me, but I'm not a demoness. He's hated humans for so long – "

Inuyasha cut her off. "Except you. Don't you get it? That bastard isn't 'kind' or 'caring' to ANYONE – except you. He almost killed me for implying that anyone would take you away from him. I don't know what you see in that bastard, but if you feel the same way, then let him take care of it."

Hope was blooming inside Kagome's heart, but it was too good to be true. "Let's just suppose he does…want me like that. We'd never be able to be together. There'd be war, and I don't want something like that to happen over something as stupid as my status."

"Keh! That's what the Demon Rite is for. It's when a demon agrees to mate the strongest eligible female. All willing females enter themselves in a contest and fight against each other. The one that wins will be mated. She could be ugly as shit, or – "

"Human…" Kagome finished in wonderment.

Inuyasha nodded. "She could even be a miko," he affirmed. "The Demon Council would be forced to acknowledge it. There'd be no war if they support the mating. Smaller pockets of disconsent can be easily dealt with…shit knowing Sesshomaru, they'd be slaughtered before they knew what hit them."

"So anyway, we've been searching for you. We even found your mentor Kaede. She mentioned some bear village and some wolf demons that were your friends. The bears didn't know nothing, and that wimpy wolf was dumb enough to lie to my face. I knew I couldn't kill him before getting some answers, but that stupid wolf wouldn't talk. When I reported back to Sesshomaru, he hunted down that wolf down like the pest he is," Inuyasha continued.

Kagome gasped. "Sesshomaru didn't kill Kouga, did he?"

Inuyasha bristled. Sesshomaru was a bastard, but he was still his brother. Some instinctual protectiveness bubbled forth. "And what's it to you? Do you like that wolf? Didn't you just say you liked my brother?"

Kagome glared at the hanyou. "I'm not like that! Get rid of those thoughts right now before I purify your fuzzy little ears from your head." She took a calming breath. "Kouga's my friend, just a friend," she said with all seriousness, gazing straight into Inuyasha's eyes.

After a moment, Inuyasha relented. "Keh, whatever."

"I don't want my friend dying just because I came to him for help," Kagome said in a softer tone.

"Sesshomaru didn't kill him. He just…" Inuyasha began.

Flashback

"What do you want with my woman?" Kouga arrogantly demanded, jutting out his chin to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. They were intruding in _his _caves and throwing weight around.

Before he could blink, Kouga was slammed against the cave wall by the throat with an enraged inuyoukai snarling in his face. "She. Is. Mine," Sesshomaru bit out.

Every instinct Kouga had was telling him to flee from this demon. The dog's youki was incredible. Kouga couldn't stop himself from shaking. 'Shit, what did that girl get herself into,' he thought dimly. 'She's going to get me killed!' Just when his vision was darkening in black splotches, the claws digging into his neck lessened and the youki receded enough for him to suck in air.

Sesshomaru watched the measely wolf sputter and cough in his grap with morbid satisfaction. "You have no claim over her. She is mine," he said in his characteristically flat tone.

"She's not anybody's," Kouga wheezed.

Sesshomaru slashed him deeply across the chest. "You will tell me where she is," he said with deadly intensity. "Or face the consequences. None will be spared." Sesshomaru slowly took a deep inhale. "98 adult males…90 adult females…26 pups…"

Kouga growled, but was quickly cut off as Sesshomaru tightened his grip. "This Sesshomaru wonders how long the demonesses will survive the torture as their pups watch…or perhaps the pups should be slowly skinned as the demonesses watch?" he quietly threatened, gazing into Kouga's widening eyes with cold detachment.

The very air seemed to chill with his brutal words. In the dimness of the cave, Sesshomaru's eyes glowed like hot coals. His aura swirled with dark menace, and the dead silence following his words was suffocating.

Kouga grit his teeth as true fear seeped into his body. This demon was a monster.

"Inuyasha, go fetch the pups. Kill any who resist," Sesshomaru commanded emotionlessly. Inuyasha paled, but started walking deeper into the cave complex. The whole thing was surrounded by the trackers. No one would be escaping from Sesshomaru's wrath.

A whine almost escaped Kouga's throat when he saw the hanyou go. "Wait! Stop, dammit. I'll answer your questions," he rushed out. Inuyasha stopped and Sesshomaru dropped the wolf onto the ground. Kouga was bowed over in utter defeat.

"I don't know where Kagome went. She just flew here with her winged wolves out of nowhere. Caught me by surprise cuz she'd hid her scent and aura. We made her this enchanted pendant that'd cast an illusion so she'd look like a wolf demoness. She left sometime in the night right after. Didn't say where she was going, or what she was hiding from. She just left. That's all I know," the wolf prince said. 'Sorry, Kagome," he apologized in his mind.

"What features does the illusion hold? What scent?" Sesshomaru interrogated.

"It turned her eyes lighter blue. She has claws and pointed ears, just like a full blooded demon. Her hair is also brown, taking after the elder whose blood was used to set the magic. No one would be able to tell unless they touched the fake features to know that the claws really don't exist. She smells just like wolf and forest," Kouga quietly confessed. He squeezed his eyes shut as he condemned his friend to death by this monster. However, as leader to his pack, the alternative was unacceptable.

"How long ago did she leave?" Sesshomaru pressed.

"Almost a month ago. Left at night, but we didn't find her missing until morning. All she left was a thank you note," the wolf whispered brokenly.

Sesshomaru regarded the pitiful wolf for a long moment before turning his back to him and walking out the cave. "With your submission, you relinquish any prior claim to Kagome. There will be no mercy a second time," Sesshomaru stoically said over his shoulder. Then, he disappeared along with his brother, leaving a howling wolf prince to lament his lost honor and pride.

End Flashback

"…That was a month ago. So that's how we knew to look for you," Inuyasha ended. He looked over at the shocked girl. "Kagome, do you understand what kind of person he is? He is ruthless and unfeeling. Can you still say you love him?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation. Inuyasha gave her an incredulous look. Kagome smiled sadly. "He is ruthless and unfeeling toward his enemies. But let me ask you, would you have actually followed through with his orders? Would you have killed a mother or father who was trying to protect their child? Or a pup that was trying to flee you?"

"No! Of course not! If the wimpy wolf didn't break, I'd have just gone in there, kicked the wolves aside, and brought the pups over unharmed. I wouldn't have had to kill anyone to get them to Sesshomaru," Inuyasha vehemently answered.

Kagome nodded. "And Sesshomaru wouldn't have harmed those pups, just like you wouldn't have killed indiscriminately."

"How can you be so sure? You think too good of everyone, dammit. Sesshomaru wouldn't have spared anyone," Inuyasha erupted.

Faster than he could react, Kagome smacked him soundly in the face. Inuyasha looked back dumbfounded. "Don't say things like that," Kagome hotly chastised. "You are his brother, yet you don't even understand this much? What does Sesshomaru hold above all?"

"Uh…" came Inuyasha's intelligent response.

"His honor. He can be cold, and brutal, but he is honorable in everything he does. He wouldn't have harmed those pups any more than you would have killed their parents. It's not honorable to fight someone that can't fight back," Kagome fumed.

"Fine, whatever. Even if he was bluffing, that bastard is the stuff of nightmares. My hair still stands on end just thinking about the atmosphere in that cave," Inuyasha gruffly admitted, shuddering at the memory.

Kagome smiled. "What am I going to do with you?" she heaved an exasperated sigh, and ruffled Inuyasha's ears. "He didn't even kill Kouga. He's just a big softie," she added teasingly.

Inuyasha spit out his tea. "Keh! Only you would say that. He's been like a caged animal ever since you left. Prowling, irritable, dangerous, and completely unpredictable. He threw me through the hallway wall when I came back the first time telling him about the stinking wolf."

Kagome giggled.

"It's not funny! I fell down three stories and landed in a fucking rose bush! Seri was picking thorns outta my ass for an hour," Inuyasha protested indignantly. However, he was smirking all the same. It had been too long since he heard Kagome laugh.

For the rest of the night, Kagome and Inuyasha shared stories of their adventures. The crazy stories and people Inuyasha had met trying to find her. Kagome's undiscovered caves and overlooked glades.

Finally, as the sun peeked out from the horizon, Inuyasha stood. Kagome was asleep beside the fire. He carefully carried her over to the makeshift futon and set her down. He then took the old bearskin cloak she obviously used as a blanket and meticulously wrapped up her sleeping yukata with it and stuffed the bundle into his haori. He then scribbled a note and exited.

Vallen was quietly waiting for him on the outcropping.

"Smart wolf," Inuyasha smirked. "I need to report back to Sesshomaru so we can bring her back when the time is right. I'll be back in a few days. Make sure she doesn't leave, or at least leave something for me to follow and catch up, you got it? This is for Kagome's happiness."

Vallen judged him silently, gauging the truth of his statement before relenting. His alpha had been miserable since leaving the West. If this would get her back where she belonged, then he would help.

As soon as Vallen consented, Inuyasha zoomed off into the forest. He quickly went back to the camp in the south he had come from. He waited several hours before trekking Northeast, to another station. It was well into the night when he got there. The next morning, Inuyasha set out again. This time back to the West, his true destination. If anything had been watching him, he'd made sure to cover up his discovery. It was hard traveling at his usual pace, instead of tearing through the forest back to the castle. But for Kagome's safety, he'd run at his usual rate.


	27. Chapter 27

Three days later, Inuyasha slipped into Sesshomaru's study.

Sesshomaru was there, and threw up a barrier as soon as his brother entered. Inuyasha released the barrier he used to hide his scent and aura. Immediately, Sesshomaru was standing in front of him.

"You found her," he rumbled in a deep baritone. His eyes held an almost predatory gleam that made Inuyasha gulp.

Inuyasha quickly nodded as Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles. The dog demon looked like he was going to mince him. "Here," Inuyasha hurriedly said, taking out the bear cloak bundle and shoving it into Sesshomaru's ready claws.

Sesshomaru stopped his advance. He unwrapped the cloak, which he instantly recognized as the thick thing Kagome wore the first time they met. Inside, was Kagome's sleeping yukata. It was permeated in her sweet scent, and unlike everything else, did not have his brother's musky odor all over it. Sesshomaru calmed. He had almost lost control when he smelt Kagome's fresh scent clinging to his brother. The last two months, he had been going insane trying to curb his desire for the miko. The wolf prince had been about one word short of being sent to his grave, and that had been a month ago. Now, after another excruciating month, Sesshomaru had reached his limit. Thankfully, his brother knew what to do. Sesshomaru inhaled the soothing fragrance, and then nodded at his brother in gratitude.

Inuyasha let go a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Disaster avoided.

"Where is she?" Sesshomaru instantly began inquiring.

Inuyasha recounted his reunion with Kagome, but wisely left out their conversation about her feelings for Sesshomaru. It really wasn't his place to say it.

After digesting the information, Sesshomaru shocked him by asking, "She is well?" Although he stated the question moreso than asked it, the hint of insecurity floored Inuyasha. His brother didn't know the meaning of insecurity, did he? He didn't know how to respond without igniting the short fuse to Sesshomaru's temper.

"Uh…well physically she hasn't been harmed…" Inuyasha hesitantly began. A glare from Sesshomaru sent him tromping forth. "But she isn't happy. She has lost weight, and was basically chased out of the village she was in before. She'd saved a villager's life, but all they could see was a miko imposter in wolf's skin." The promise of vengeance in Sesshomaru's eyes quickly sent Inuyasha backtracking. "But, she left, no harm done. It was actually because of all the commotion that I could find her again," Inuyasha hurried out.

"She's been hiding under that wolf illusion, but when she sleeps, she takes the thing off and sets a barrier around the entire shelter. So only her immediate possessions still have her original scent on them. Everything else just has that common wolf and forest smell. All the winged wolves have barriers around them too. She really thought it through when she decided to avoid-" Inuyasha abruptly stopped. No sense pissing off his brother reminding him how he couldn't track the girl down.

Sesshomaru slowly digested what his brother offered, noting both the things he said and the ones he purposefully omitted. He would take up things with the miko. "Go back to her and train Kagome. I will send out the announcement for the Demon Rite to be held one month from now. Teach her. This rite…" Sesshomaru stopped. The strain was starting to leak into his voice. His desperation for her to win. His need for her to be by his side.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. I'll make sure she can kick ass. No sweat. You just worry your ass about writing her a message to convince her to come. She's not going to just take my word for it that you want her. And don't give me that dumb bullshit about her power or gaining some beneficial trait for the House of the Moon," Inuyasha saved his brother from the awkwardness.

"She is the strongest, and immunity to purification is indeed a desirable trait to pass to the heir of the West," Sesshomaru insisted.

Inuyasha gave him a glare. Both brothers knew those were just convenient excuses. "If you think Kagome's gonna roll over and come back to you if you spout that shit, go ahead." And then Inuyasha turned around and left. "I'll be taking a bath while you pull your head out of your ass," he called back. Sesshomaru cracked his whip at Inuyasha's heels.

Then, he sat still for many minutes after his brother left. He was stiff as a statue as unwanted emotions churned inside him. 'She was found!' seemed to be the most prominent thought in his jumbled head. Yet the swell of happiness also brought with it a wave of anger, loneliness, and frustration. Sesshomaru inhaled deeply, and practically buried his face into the flimsy sleeping yukata. It made him yearn for her all the more, but at least the fragrance soothed his fraying nerves. He closed his eyes and slumped as he never would in front of an audience.

Slowly, he placed the yukata in his haori and pulled out a blank scroll.

"Kagome! What are you doing? If it wasn't for that damn robe, I would have cut your arm off," Inuyasha yelled.

Kagome struggled back to sitting. Everyday since Inuyasha came back two weeks ago, she had been subjected to a harsh beating from Inuyasha's "hand-to-hand combat" training. She took a moment to quiet her panting. Has it only been two weeks since he returned, brandishing his sword and throwing a package at her feet? The package had contained the kimono she now wore, and a brief note from Sesshomaru. Kagome laughed ruefully just remembering it.

_Come back. - Sesshomaru_

She wasn't expecting poetry, but the demon seriously gave 'brief' a new definition. But Kagome already knew Sesshomaru wasn't good with words, and his actions speak for him. The search, the rite, and the kimono. To think that the great demon lord had transformed into his true dog form and cut his own fur to make her, an insignificant human, a protective kimono. It was beautiful too. The fine silver fur was weaved into an elastic, form fitting suit and topped with an altered kimono with shorter sleeves and slits up both sides to allow easy movement. The obi fur had been dyed a deep indigo, and the entire assembly shimmered in the sun. It was both beautiful and maneuverable. Not only that, the fabric was tougher than armor, seeing as how even Inuyasha's claws hadn't been able to cut through the thing.

She stood and dusted the robes off lovingly. Sesshomaru wanted her to come back. He gave her the only protection he could with the battle kimono. Now it was up to her to fight her way back to him. There was only one thing hanging at the back of her mind. '_Why _does he want me?' She wouldn't do it if he only wanted her because of some misplaced possessiveness, lingering sense of duty, or even worse, some warped idea to use her powers.

Gods she hoped it was more than that. To be brutally honest with herself, she hoped it was for love. That ridiculous hope that would not be squashed no matter how hard she tried. Kagome narrowed her eyes at Inuyasha. 'Especially with a stupid idiot dropping not so subtle hints every minute he's not throwing me around or eating like a pig.'

Inuyasha flattened his ears, as if sensing her thoughts. "What? Get your scrawny ass moving! I'm attacking whether you're ready or not," he bellowed.

Kagome sighed, and sunk into a defensive position. It was going to be a long month.

In the unseen corners of a dark castle, a murky figure materialized from the shadows. "Lord Naraku, we have found her. She is with the hanyou guised as one not herself. They are training, most likely for the Demon Rite of the lord of the West."

"Found you," Naraku smirked. He waved the demon away and retreated deeper into the castle. He entered a small room pulsating with an eerie orange light. A slimy, yet unidentifiable form slithered within a rubbery, translucent shell. Naraku smiled sinisterly at the glowing egg. The smile continued to widen until he broke out in laughter. The sound harshly bounced off of the empty walls. "Soon…soon you will fall, Sesshomaru. I will take your woman and sacrifice her like a pig while you watch." His cackling laughter continued to echo through the night.

Day before the Demon Rite

The Western Citadel was in an uproar trying to get accomodations for all the contestants. Over a hundred females across all four lands, and even some from the continent had come to participate. Seri wrung her hands in anxiety as she sent off another demoness to her quarters. They would all be formally paraded and received in front of Sesshomaru tomorrow. Still, it was an organizational nightmare to get everyone placed along with their servants and luggage. Umi was running around so fast, Seri was seeing double of her.

"Where is she?" Seri murmured to herself as she peeked out the window to the contestants trickling in. Per protocol, she was supposed to hand over a basic description and summary of the dowry offered from each contestant to Sesshomaru as they came in. Everytime she entered the study, Sesshomaru's aura would darken further and her feathers would ruffle more. Seri cringed as she looked down at yet another scroll she had to deliver to the brooding demon lord. If Kagome didn't show up, Seri was sure she wouldn't have a head by the end of the night.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was trying to avoid detection in a far corner of the kitchen. He had arrived a day before and was not about to risk seeing Sesshomaru anytime before he saw Kagome. He stuffed another steamed bun into his mouth. "Fucking Sesshomaru broke all the dummies in the dojo…like I'm stupid enough to spar with him right now? Hell no! …a damn koto string about to snap...gonna take out more than an eye when he does…stupid wench not gonna be the death of me… ungrateful wench…ungrateful bastard, keh," Inuyasha grumbled to himself in his hiding spot.

And then Kagome arrived. Seri practically jumped out the window to reach her when she touched down in the courtyard.

"Thank the gods you are here! I thought all my feathers would fall out before you got here," Seri bellowed.

"Hi Seri. It's been too long," Kagome breathed, hugging the old owl tightly.

"Ah. Definitely too long. Don't you ever pull a stupid stunt like this again," Seri teasingly chastised. They rushed inside and placed her in a corner room among all the contestants. Seri couldn't treat her too differently or the other demonesses would notice, but a corner room was stealthy enough favoritism. Besides, if she knew Sesshomaru, the pup would sneak in and meet the miko regardless of where she was.

Later that night

Kagome was returning to her room after a late night bath. The demonesses had sneered at her presence among them, and practically barricaded the designated bath until she was the last one left. Thankfully, none actually got physical because no one wanted to be thrown out for misconduct right before the rite.

She sighed and softly closed the door to her room. Immediately, an impenetrable barrier enclosed the room. Kagome spun around to search for the culprit. Glowing golden eyes stared back at her. Kagome's heart lurched to a stop before pounding with adrenaline.

"Sesshomaru," she murmured.

He finally released the shield around his presence and his tumultuous aura permeated the space. Kagome gasped at the barrage of emotions flowing from the demon lord. The rage, the sorrow, the betrayal, the desperation, the relief…

Before Kagome could cope, she was flung onto the bed with a feral demon lord bearing down on her. "You said you would always be by my side. You said you would always be there for me," he bit out. The sting of betrayal was still sharp, and Sesshomaru could not control the raging instincts that demanded retribution.

He looked ready to tear her apart, yet she felt no fear. Kagome stared into his bright torquise irises. All she could see was the hurt emanating from his very soul. He flashed his elongated fangs at her. All she could see was the slight tremble in his upper lip that betrayed his reluctance to actually hurt her. He growled threateningly at her. All she could hear was his desperation for understanding.

Tears slowly leaked from the corners of her eyes and into her hairline. She raised a trembling hand to cup his jagged cheek. He snarled and pulled away before she could touch him. "Are you so quick to run? Am I not worth fighting for?" he questioned with his scathing, guttural voice.

Kagome shook her head. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "I did not know you would fight for me," she whispered, stroking his cheek.

Sesshomaru's snarl faltered. Then, he growled louder and pushed Kagome further into the bed. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and licked the skin raw. "Mine," he rumbled into her neck. She wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his silken locks in reassurance.

Kagome remained silent, cradling Sesshomaru, until his growls died down. Still, he wouldn't lift his head.

"Why do you want me back, Sesshomaru?" she quietly beseeched. "I've finished making reiki bracelets for you. Did you want me to make you more reiki weapons?"

Sesshomaru raised his now molten gold eyes to stare back into her bottomless blue depths. "No." Unlike his first outburst, this time his eyes were unreadable mirrors.

She searched his eyes. "Or am I the weapon? Will you harness me to help protect the West?"

"No," he said more forcibly.

"Then is it because I am pack? Do you still feel responsible for my wellbeing?"

"Yes." But that was not the main reason for his desperation.

"I have rejected your claim and freed you of such _obligation_," Kagome almost spat the last word out.

Sesshomaru growled in frustration and pushed himself off her and onto the side of the bed. "It is not obligation! It is not duty that drives me!" He was pacing furiously now.

"Then what is?"she calmly asked. Inside, her heart was fluttering in anxiousness.

Sesshomaru abruptly stopped in front of her and leveled his face at her. He was again leaning over her, but this time no part of him touched her. He was tensely coiled, and the hands straddling her form were buried deep into the futon. "You dare ask? You, who forced yourself into my attention, carved deep into my unwilling conscious. And once you have accomplished what none has before, you - " his jaw clenched shut from the electrifying jolt of pain that coursed through him at the thought of her disappearance. "I despise the mark you left on me. The hole that leaks such insolent feelings that this one should never have. You have broken me, and you will take responsibility," he ended with quiet vehemence.

"I am nothing but a human," she denied the affect she had on him. The hope she had failed to squash so many times flared to life at his passionate words. Could she interpret them as a confession of his affections for her in the only way he knew?

"You are more. But it does not matter. I no longer care about your humanity," Sesshomaru answered, once again calm. He was turned away from her, slumped in defeat.

"So you wouldn't mind if I had no reiki? If I was just a normal woman?" Kagome tested.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Your power is a part of you. I cannot discount its role. Your power kept my attention," he replied honestly.

Kagome nodded, satisfied. If he had denied his interest in her powers, she would have called him a liar. She knew he was too honorable for deception, but she needed to voice all her insecurities if she had any hope of steeling her resolve and giving herself completely to him.

Sesshomaru glanced warily at the pensive miko. He wondered if maybe his answer had displeased her. "All demons are attracted to power. It is my nature," he further tried to explain.

Kagome pressed her fingers to his lips, effectively silencing him. "I understand," she simply said. She detected the faint worry when she inadvertently remained silent. It was flattering for Sesshomaru to care so much about the outcome of this conversation, care so much about her.

"You know, you will become the greatest demon of all time. There is no place for someone like me. I cannot give what you need," she frankly told him.

Sesshomaru swiftly turned away from her. "Do not presume to know what This Sesshomaru needs," he harshly ground out. She didn't understand anything he was trying to say! He was lost, just as the Seer had fortold, but he was too selfish and weak to release her from the same fate. No, he was too weak to even declare that, to declare his want for her. Why did his throat constrict and his mouth clamp tight at the mere thought of how badly he had needed her the past three months? And here she was spouting such ludicrous, dishonorable assumptions about his intent. He was truly offended. Yet was it her fault he couldn't make himself clear? He didn't know how to put all his complex feelings into words. He could only coerce her into becoming his with words like "responsibility". Even as he did it though, he did not want her forced feelings. Sesshomaru growled in frustration.

Kagome watched the conflicting emotions flicker across his face until he settled on scowling at her. She knew he wasn't one to express his highly guarded emotions with words. The almost hateful words he used to describe the inner turmoil he felt from her presence only confirmed the tender feelings he hid behind them. Her heart warmed at his awkward caring…his love? She crawled forward and covered his hand with hers. His frown faltered.

"I only have my heart to offer you. And I only want the same in return. If that is enough for you, then I will show you tomorrow how hard I will fight for yours," Kagome confessed, and then gasped at her own words. Gods that was definitely too presumptuous of her. When did she become so bold? Or more like shameless? Kagome frantically searched her brain for a cover. She could barely hear her scattered thoughts above the rushing of blood in her ears. But she did not need to fret.

Her answer dispelled the confusion and anxiety that had wrought his very soul. 'She loves me,' the thought echoed loudly in the wake of his suddenly blank mind. His heart soared with a joy he didn't think was possible. Sesshomaru answered her with a slow, painfully tender kiss. A sacred vow. His thin, velvety lips captured her mouth effortlessly and caressed them reverently before separating reluctantly. His breath lingered, as if trying to maintain the contact that was broken.

Kagome clutched his hair and pressed her lips to his once more, pouring out how much she had missed him into the kiss. Sesshomaru's tongue came out to meet the stroking of her soft petal one, and soon the kiss became as passionate as the one he had branded her with during his heat. They were both panting by the time Sesshomaru pushed her down onto the bed once more. Still they clambered to get closer and deeper into each other.

Suddenly, Sesshomaru jumped off the bed. His eyes were once again red as he unsuccessfully tried to regulate his breathing and force his throbbing member to calm. Anymore and he would be mating her before the demon rite. He refused to shame her with anything less than the most honorable and indisputable entry as Lady of the West.

"Do not lose," he gasped out, his voice still husky with lust.

Kagome gave him a dazzling smile that lit up the room. "Hmph. You'll be mine by this time next week," she said in her most haughty and confident voice.

Sesshomaru smirked. "That is my line," he murmured in a seductive baritone. His smirk widened to a full smile at the sight of her shiver.

He had reigned in his body's responses, and settled down on the bed with Kagome. She snuggled into his side, her head fitting perfectly in the crook of his shoulder.

"Sleep. This Sesshomaru waits for your rightful return to his side."

Kagome glowed with contentment.


	28. Chapter 28

The next day, the Demon Rite began with every contestant being presented in front of Sesshomaru. Demoness after demoness was pranced before him along with vows of all the riches and favors he would receive with the suit. Sesshomaru dutifully sat through the whole boring affair without a slip of his stoic mask. The suits all sounded alike – a beautiful demoness, a mound of treasure, and a tie to a noble or wealthy family.

Kagura stepped before Lord Sesshomaru in her fanciful combat kimono. A slew of servants followed in her wake, carrying riches that overshadowed all previous gifts. She bowed respectfully and addressed the demon lord with dignity. "This Kagura, princess of the North by Lord Ryura and late Lady Kimiko, presents her suit to Lord Sesshomaru of the West. This Kagura offers her heirloom jewels as youngest of the Northern royal bloodline, and maps of all mines and routes from her domain. The North also extends an alliance to the West," she proudly proclaimed.

Murmurs swept through the assembly about the valuables Kagura was offering up. Indeed, Sesshomaru was impressed with the dowry. While the jewels were priceless, what caught Sesshomaru's attention was the territorial information she was willing to impart. She obviously knew what was important to a lord. It was the best suit yet, and she was obviously a beauty. Yet Sesshomaru couldn't imagine an immortal life with her. Between his stoic silence and her cool attitude, they'd be hard pressed to exchange more than pleasantries. There was none of Kagome's overwhelming warmth that so often threw him into chaos. No. She was cool as ice.

"This Sesshomaru, Lord of the West by the late Inu no Taisho and Lady Mizuki, accepts this Lady Kagura's suit," he replied, like the sixty proposals before hers. He honestly didn't understand why he had to accept every single one when it was impossible for him to refuse to begin with. Sesshomaru stifled a yawn.

When the proposals just past the 100 mark, it was finally Kagome's turn. As soon as she stepped forth, the hall erupted in shouts of disbelief and disdain. Kagome raised her head high and steadily walked forward.

"Quiet! By Demon Law, ANYONE can enter the rite as long as they are capable of bearing an heir. Who dares to defy Demon Law?" Inuyasha boomed. The hall immediately fell silent. Kagome could have hugged the hanyou at that moment. Instead, she kept her back straight and face as blank as Sesshomaru's. Vallen and Areta flanked her two steps behind.

"This Kagome, miko from the Holy Village by Miko Midoriko and Monk Shinsen, presents her suit to Lord Sesshomaru of the West. This Kagome offers as a warrior: her powers and immunity to purity, as a healer: her knowledge, and as a woman: her undying love and loyalty."

Several snickers and ridicules met her last statement. Sesshomaru flexed his youki in unmistakable warning to the insults being thrown at the miko. To the outside, it looked as if he was simply reinforcing demon law. But Inuyasha knew better. The insults to the one he internally claimed were trying his patience in a dangerous way.

Kagome then withdrew an intricate scroll and threw it into the air. She then assumed a prayer position with her hands, freezing the scroll in suspension. "By this one's blood, This Kagome binds the entirety of her power to the intended recipient of the scroll, Lord Sesshomaru of the West, effective upon his blood mark on the scroll. The blood pact can only be nulled by touch of said scroll by any other than the intended recipient, or upon cancellation from this one before the scroll is imprinted. Once the blood pact is completed, the effect is permanent until this one's death." The scroll slowly floated over to Sesshomaru and hovered before him.

Everyone was stunned silent by the offering. The miko had just given herself up as a weapon to be used at the mercy of Lord Sesshomaru. And everyone knew Lord Sesshomaru did not have mercy. She would be reduced to a powerless human who only needed to be kept alive. The recipient of her scroll would gain full control of her reiki. For a demon of Sesshomaru's caliber, this equated to near invincibility. The cardinal lords would be a joke of the past. The elders of Demon Council would be disposable pests. Everyone collectively shuddered at the prospect of the cold, ruthless demon lord holding such power. It also didn't escape anyone's notice that Lord Sesshomaru simply had to slice his finger, reach out, and grab the scroll to attain it.

Sesshomaru was equally shocked at the offer. Kagome was always a female who strove for independence and refused to fully submit to anyone. She hated being treated as a tool. The very questions she asked him last night confirmed this. Yet here she was stripping herself of the power to keep her individuality. She was _allowing _him to use her as a tool, but trusting him not to break her as such.

Sesshomaru's chest swelled with the whirlwind of emotions only this tiny woman could induce. The sheer fierceness of his emotional onslaught made him want to howl out his everlasting loyalty to this woman. His control was snapping fast. Sesshomaru's eyes flashed red as his aura swirled with the strength of his repressed feelings. What was this, this madness that was consuming him? Had been consuming him ever since the miko forced her way into his heart. Was this the 'love' that compelled his sire to save the human princess at the cost of his own life?

'Do you have someone to protect?' His father's parting words echoed in his mind.

In that crystal clear moment, Sesshomaru finally understood. The utter madness that drove him to hunt her down and follow a custom he didn't believe in. The crippling anguish when she was gone. The peace to his soul when she was there. The dizzying happiness when she smiled. The mindnumbing rage when she was hurt. It was so much more.

The lapse in his control passed as suddenly as it started. Sesshomaru was again the epitome of stoicism, making many spectators doubt the second when he'd almost transformed. He grabbed the scroll, instead of the woman he wanted to crush to his side, and slipped it into his haori. "This Sesshomaru, Lord of the West by the late Inu no Taisho and Lady Mizuki, accepts this Miko Kagome's suit," he monotonously replied, while staring at her with an intensity that belied his calm exterior.

Miko and demon lord held each other's gaze for a moment longer than necessary before parting. Kagome retreated to her place among the contestants in a daze. The introductions ended a short time later. Sesshomaru could recall nothing but Kagome's words. 'Love…'

The contestants were then paired up to fight against each other in single elimination combat. Only natural abilities were permitted, and the only armor allowed were the demon silks that every female had donned. Should a contestant surrender, the fight would stop immediately and the winner would advance. There would be one round of battles each day, reducing the numbers from 120 to 60, 30, 15, 8, 4, 2, and finally 1. In a week, the Demon Rite would be finished, and the Lady of the West chosen.

Over the next two days, Sesshomaru watched Kagome pass the rounds without difficulty. She only had to raise her hand and engulf the demoness in a reiki barrier. None of the demonesses she fought thus far were fast enough to avoid getting caged, or strong enough to break free from it.

Inuyasha helped watch Kagura's battles, as she was the only other to make an impression. She also had little resistance, able to force a surrender by crushing the other demonesses to the ground with her youki winds. Seri and the house staff were relieved the number of guests were reduced from 120 to 30 so swiftly.

"A special condition will be enacted for this round," squawked Jaken to the remaining contestants on start of the third day. "As this round will reduce the contestants to an odd number, whoever finishes her battle today the fastest will be able to advance automatically tomorrow."

The sudden tension in the air following Jaken's announcement was palpable. The swiftest kill would grant an extra day of reprieve. For some of the contestants that had more drawn out battles, this was a much needed recovery period. The bloodlust hung heavily in the air as each pair was enclosed in a huge barrier elevated in the sky. The barriers were boxes 3 miles long in each dimension, and served as separate arenas.

Kagome eyed the feline demoness she was pitted against. She stalked around Kagome in a wide circle. The demoness was a lot more powerful than the first two Kagome had fought. However, she could rapidly expand her reiki to fill the space of the battle box and purify the cat. It would drain a significant amount of her energy, but then she'd probably get an extra day to fully recover it. But she didn't want to meaninglessly kill any of her rivals. How could she condemn them to such a fate when they were fighting for a place by Sesshomaru's side just like her? Kagome sighed. She'd need some luck if she wanted to get the reward being offered today.

The start buzzer rang out and immediately the contestants broke into activity. The cat demon somersaulted away from Kagome's barrier and landed behind her.

"Cat got your tongue, cunt?" the cat hissed and swiped at the back of Kagome's head. Kagome erected a protective barrier around herself, singing the claws and forcing the cat to bounce back.

"Apparently not," Kagome calmly said before slowing turning around to face her opponent again. This time, she fired a few reiki orbs in rapid succession, chasing the demoness down to a predictable path before capturing her in a reiki barrier.

"Surrender," Kagome commanded. The cat hissed and tried to rip through the barrier, only to be burned severely.

"You filthy miko, thinking you can get someone like Lord Sesshomaru! A miko and a demon, it's disgusting! My stomach churns to think of a whore like you touching my lord! I hope you die by his claws!" the cat demoness ranted.

"Demon…miko…I don't care anymore. If he chooses me, then I will make it to his side no matter what. Now surrender!" Kagome fiercely said.

"Hahahhaha, 'chooses' you?" the demoness hysterically laughed. "You don't deserve a demon like Lord Sesshomaru! He'd NEVER choose you! I won't surrender. I tear apart goody girls like you for breakfast!"

Kagome lifted her sad eyes to stare at the demoness practically frothing at the mouth in rage. "Why do you hate me so much? I was born a miko, just like you were born a cat demoness. Who I am as a person is not determined by such."

The miko's words fell on deaf ears as the demoness continued her ugly laughing. "Useless, useless! Lord Sesshomaru doesn't need a weakling like you who can't even kill."

Kagome hid her eyes under her bangs. She could not face this rabid demoness anymore. "Surrender," she uttered quietly, and tightened the barrier around the cat. The demoness abruptly stopped laughing, the change in the soft miko scaring her.

When the miko looked up again, her eyes were frozen over with impenetrable ice. The harsh blue glint cut to her core. "Weakling who can't kill? Do you really wish to test that?" Kagome slowly said with eerie calm. She tightented the barrier once again.

The cat demoness's eyes widened in fear and an ear piercing scream ripped from her throat as the reiki scorched her.

"Surrender!" Kagome commanded with the strength of the land's most powerful miko.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Stop! Auughhh! I-I surrender!" the cat screeched out.

Instantly, Kagome dropped the smoking body from her reiki barrier. The cat was still breathing, but definitely wouldn't be moving anytime soon. Kagome closed her eyes. The next time she opened them, they were once again swirling sapphires that currently reflected her remorse, pity, and sadness. She knelt beside the fallen demoness and sucked the pure energies from her body, healing some of the cat's worst burns. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks as the aerial demon escorts led her out of the sky battle arena and carried her to the citadel.

Sesshomaru clenched his fist as he watched Kagome's battle. He had heard everything, and could only follow the crystalline liquid falling from her face. Sesshomaru knew Kagome disliked harming anyone, no matter how justified. She fought to protect. Not for the sadistical pleasure found in bloodlust, nor the proud satisfaction of victory. And she was the most beautiful just like that.

Meanwhile, Kagura was studying the curious miko. She had easily finished her battle first out of all the contestants. In one move, Kagura had summoned one of her more powerful youki wind attacks, Dance of Dragons, and literally minced the outmatched demoness to death. She remained the untouched, deadly beauty. Kagura didn't understand why the miko would spare the other demoness at the sacrifice of the reward. Given the energy signatures she was detecting, the miko could have purified the cat faster than her winds could cut. The miko was a force to be reckoned with. And then to undo all her work? Kagura was baffled by the odd display of compassion. Kagura turned and retreated into the citadel.

Later that night, Seri brought some tea to Kagome. "You did wonderfully, Kagome child," Seri murmured reassuringly.

Kagome smiled weakly. "I did what I must." But she couldn't help wondering if there was some truth to the cruel words of her opponent. Was she too soft for the demon ways? Was she unfit to be by Sesshomaru's side? She wanted to use her own strength to reach him. But could she overcome such hatred? She hadn't been able to with the cat. Kagome had scared her into surrendering. She sought approval, not feared submission.

Seri noticed the troubled look and sighed. "Here. Burn it after you read it," she said, handing a note to Kagome. Seri then placed the forgotten tea on the table and left before her presence caused suspicion.

Kagome stared at the note in surprise.

_Do not concern yourself with foolish thoughts. _

The note was unsigned, but Kagome instantly recognized Sesshomaru's elegant scrawl. Her eyes teared, this time in happiness. The demon lord knew her so well, and his high-handed comfort only made her love him more. She tenderly smoothed out the note before tossing it into the fireplace.


	29. Chapter 29

"Tell me, girl. Why are you among your enemies by nature?" Kagura asked Kagome as they faced off in the aerial arena.

It was the final day of the Demon Rite, and both dragon demoness and miko had made it to the final round. The battles leading up to this point had been increasingly drawn out and bloody. Many times, Kagome was saved from a mortal injury by her inherent barrier. The contestants were strong, and now only the strongest was left. Kagome faced Kagura with what she hoped was the same cool confidence and composure.

"I see no reason to shun innocents, regardless of their species. My nature is to heal and protect," Kagome steadily answered.

"Hmph. You will not win against me if your intent is not to kill. Surrender and I will spare your life," Kagura confidently proclaimed.

"No. I will fight for a place by my most important person." Kagome's eyes flicked to Sesshomaru.

"Then you are a fool." Kagura swung her hand, throwing several wind blades at Kagome. They broke harmlessly across her reiki barrier. Yet Kagura continued the useless assault. Suddenly, she summoned a piercing wind column, launching the surprised miko into the air. Kagura frowned. She had known the early wind blades would be useless, but had hoped they would divert attention so the under belly of the barrier not under constant attack would be weaker and susceptible to a surprise attack. However, the barrier stayed strong. It wasn't a complete failure though, for now she knew how to throw her into the air.

Kagome was caught unprepared for the column of air pushing her upwards, but quickly recovered, forcing reiki underneath her to purify the youki wind. She then fired bursts of reiki to slow her descent and land safely back onto the arena floor. The dragon princess was good. None of her previous opponents had been able to throw her, or force so much reiki expenditure with one attack. Kagome immediately countered, launching several reiki orbs that she honed to the demoness.

Kagura was forced to run from the orbs. She quickly became a blurr, erratically circling around Kagome before cutting across, placing Kagome directly in the path of her own reiki orb. However, the orb just passed harmlessly through the miko and continued to follow her. "Che!" Kagura grunted in frustration. She lept straight up, flying to the ceiling of the arena and turning sharply left. Two of the orbs exploded harmlessly on the ceiling. She repeated the move a few more times around the walls of the arena, effectively destroying all the orbs.

However, before Kagura could recover, Kagome spread a net of reiki, halting the faster demoness. The ropes of reiki burned her, drawing first blood. Kagura snarled, flexing her youki to break free. She then summoned several tornadoes, flinging the miko into the fray. These youki winds were a lot more powerful, easily cutting through the miko's weakened defenses while she had executed her offensive net.

Kagome quickly refocused and encapsulated herself in a tight barrier. The kimono of Sesshomaru's fur had protected her from severe injury, but her cheek and ankle were bleeding. The wind had cut through her leather boots like butter. Kagome once again used reiki bursts to soften her landing.

Both females paused to glare at the other. Their hair was loose, their chests were heaving, and blood was trickling to the ground. Kagome swiftly healed her ankle to a more usable state, but left the shallow cheek injury. She had to conserve her reiki against such a formidable opponent.

And then they were off again. Blows were exchanged at a vicious pace. Blades of wind and reiki clashed. Kagome used her reiki enhanced body to keep up with the demoness. She landed several shots that forced the dragon to expend youki to neutralize the purity before it ate her body. Kagura continued to exploit the second of vulnerability when the miko switched from defensive to offensive, raining blood onto the arena floor.

At close range, Kagome suddenly engulfed Kagura in a reiki barrier, and retreated far back. She quickly sealed any vessels that were cut. Any more blood loss and Kagome would lose before her reiki ran out. She wasn't experienced enough for close range combat with such a powerful demoness. It was only because of Sesshomaru's lessons, which Inuyasha had beat into her, that saved her from any fatal injury. However, she knew her luck wouldn't last. The fight had to be kept at long range.

"Are you fighting me so hard as a female, or as the northern princess?" Kagome called out.

Kagura laughed darkly within the barrier. "For love? For the North?" she ridiculed. "What duty I felt was swept away the moment you drew my blood. I fight for myself!" Her youki started to swell dangerously with her bloodlust. The barrier continued to hold.

Kagura's eyes were completely red now. "Your head is mine," she rumbled thickly. And then the barrier exploded, leaving a fully transformed black dragon in its place. She towered over Kagome at half the size of Sesshomaru's true form. Kagura let out an unearthly battle shriek.

Kagome immediately switched to complete defensive mode, making one of her densest reiki barriers. The youki winds from large webbed wings and the electric balls from a razor mouth all crackled uselessly on the barrier. Kagome trembled against the relentless beating on her barrier.

Kagura whipped her thickly armored tail out to slam against the barrier. Kagome flared her reiki just in time to reinforce the barrier from impact. Scales and reiki met, and for a moment, neither budged. But with another flick of brute strength, Kagome was thrown back with jarring force into the arena wall. The barrier protected Kagome from shattering all her bones, but she was prone on the ground, desperately sucking in air.

Kagura palmed the barrier encapsulated miko in her large claws, attempting to crush the weakened barrier. A cracking, crumpling sound alerted Kagura to impending success, and she redoubled her efforts.

Meanwhile, the crack sounded deafening in Sesshomaru's ears. He had been watching the whole bloody affair with an exterior calm that only centuries of training and hardship could have bred. But the crack of Kagome's barrier could very well have been the sound of his own mask crumbling to dust. His grip had long since melted the chair handles, and now he was on his feet, eyes flashing red.

Seri sunk her talons into Sesshomaru's arm before he lost it. The pain seemed to cut through the red haze in his mind and he stiffly forced himself back into the ruined chair. Thankfully no one noticed as everyone's attention was on the epic battle between the two powerful females.

Just when the barrier crumpled into nothing, a dome of light shot out, purifying Kagura's claw. The dragon roared in pain and quickly flew back. She flared her youki to prevent the searing reiki from continuing up her arm and eating her alive. The two opposing energies fought for ground – purple clashing with white. Slowly, Kagome's blinding white reiki started gaining.

'Impossible!' Kagura thought. This small miko had more energy than herself! Yet she could not deny the white light dissipating her purple youki. Kagura roared one more time, forcing out almost all of her youki at once. The clash of energy was too much and exploded between the two, sending shock waves rippling through the audience below. Everyone was stunned into silence.

Kagura was kneeling on the ground, reverted back into her humanoid form minus her right hand. Kagome slowly stood up on shaking legs, trying to resorb what little reiki still hung in the air after the explosion.

"It is my turn to ask. Why do you fight so hard? Do you honestly think you can gain his favor?" Kagura quietly asked.

Kagome held her eyes as they silently appraised each other. "If the one you loved offered his heart to you, wouldn't you stop at nothing to reach him and receive it?" Kagome replied solemnly.

Kagura gaped at her. "The Ice Prince? Lord Sesshomaru, known across ALL Japan as the Killing Perfection?" Kagome simply stared into her eyes in absolute seriousness. The wind dragon's eyes widened in sudden understanding. "You…you are the one. His pack. You had hidden much of your scent…I did not realize…oh gods…" While the idea that Sesshomaru loved the girl was still too inconceivable, Kagura knew now that this rite was definitely for this girl's sake.

"I love him. Please surrender," Kagome finally offered.

Kagura's eyes hardened. "I have my pride. I don't care what your, or his, motives are. This fight is not over until I am unable to move," she strongly declared. "If nothing else, I want to prove myself," Kagura added softly.

"I understand," Kagome relented, and fell back into a defensive stance.

Kagura lurched forward and again vaulted the miko into the air with the last of her youki winds. While the barrier held, Kagome was too weak to hold her ground. Kagura continued to run forward, closing the distance. Within a second, she had untied her obi and whipped it around Kagome's ankle.

Kagome stared at her captured ankle, stunned for a moment. The obi had gotten through her barrier because it had no youki, no demonic aura. This demoness was truly cunning to have figured out such a weakness in this empty arena.

Kagura pulled sharply, dragging the miko down. No reiki burst would be able to cushion the forced plunge. The miko slammed into the arena floor with a resounding smack. Had the arena been dirt, a crater would surely have formed.

Dead silence remained in the aftermath of the impact. Slowly, Kagura walked forward, hand still tightly gripping the obi. Excruciating electricity suddenly shot through the wind dragon's body.

"AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" the ear piercing wail echoed through the arena.

Slowly, the battered body of the miko sat up and then stood up. Blood was dripping out of Kagome's slightly parted mouth. Her arms dangled limply at her side. But what caught everyone's eyes were the tendrils of reiki snaking through the obi and coiling into Kagura. The screams abruptly stopped, signifying either the dragon's death or loss of consciousness. Kagome pulled back the whisps of energy.

"You forgot. A miko can channel her reiki into just about anything. The obi was clever, but ultimately a double edged sword," she commented to the still body. Kagome then knelt on the ground and brushed her broken hands against Kagura's face. Immediately, pure energies began pouring back into the miko. When every last white aura left, she erected a barrier around the prone demoness. The fight was over, but no one moved toward the arena.

Kagome began healing her own wounds, focusing mainly on her broken limbs. She winced as the bones mended. When Kagura had slammed her into the ground, Kagome had focused all of her reiki into her body to reinforce it for impact. Thankfully, it had worked, but her arms were the sacrifice, having broken the fall first.

About 15 minutes later, Kagome stood back up and faced all the spectators. "The Wind Dragon Princess of the North has been defeated. I spare her life, but this Demon Rite is over. This Kagome, high priestess, claims victory!"

"Does anyone dare dispute the victory?" Inuyasha asked per protocol. However, his beaming face belied the sheer joy he felt.

Silence met the question. None had seen a demon rite finale of such scale.

"Unseal the arena! Convoy, retrieve the contestants," Inuyasha finished.

By the time everyone was back in the courtyard, Kagura had regained consciousness. She knew she had been defeated, but couldn't understand why she was still among the living. Her question shone clearly in her eyes.

Kagome knelt next to the defeated demoness. "I have spared lesser opponents. Why would I not offer the same courtesy to a true rival worthy of my respect? You are strong and cunning. If you allow, I would like to meet as a friend next time," she formally told Kagura.

Kagura's eyes glistened. "I would like that as well," she murmured, head bowed.

"How dare you disgrace the Northern family by losing? And then to shame yourself further? A dragon bows to no one! The dragon clan does not need such shame," Ryura scathingly reproached Kagura. He fired a blazing fireball at his daughter, intent on extinguishing her life. Kagome did not have the strength left to stop a fireball of such magnitude. Kagura clenched her eyes shut, knowing this was the end.

BOOM!

Kagura's eyes flew open and she twisted around to see what had happened. Standing where the path of the fireball had once been was a hanyou in red wielding a still smoking tetseiga. Inuyasha had saved Kagura.

"If you can throw her away so easily, then I will claim her. She's mine," Inuyasha proclaimed. Kagura gaped, while Kagome beamed.

"You dare interfere, you filthy dog?" Ryura boomed.

"Look, you didn't want your daughter anyway. If you give her to me, you'll be forming an alliance with the West, without giving a dowry or anything else. Take your royal jewels and whatever maps. I'll take her just as she is," Inuyasha gruffly tried to negotiate.

"But a hany- "

"As This Sesshomaru's beta and second son of Inu no Taisho, the west will honor the alliance," Sesshomaru cut off Ryura.

Ryura's lips curled in a sneer, but said no more.

"Then it's settled. Will you be okay getting to the infirmary?" Kagome asked Kagura in concern. "I took out all the pure energies, but your hands…" They were both purified, leaving only stubs.

Inuyasha stepped in and lifted Kagura off the ground. "I'll take her. Don't worry Kagome. You got a prize to claim," he said, winking at her.

When the pair was well out of earshot, Kagura turned to Inuyasha. "What are you thinking?" she hissed at him. "I have nothing to offer. Lord Ryura won't lift a finger for such a union. The alliance would be empty – my presence won't stop a war if that is what he so chooses."

Inuyasha glanced down at the dragon demoness and then quickly looked away. "Stop talking like that prick Sesshomaru. I don't give a shit what your bastard father does. You didn't deserve to die like that. You were…" 'beautiful,' his mind provided. Inuyasha blushed. "Keh! Whatever. You don't gotta mate me if you don't wanna. It was just the easiest way to get you outta there. But you really can stay here. Kagome likes you, so you're okay by my book," Inuyasha babbled.

Kagura was stunned. "You would save me, and ask for nothing in return?" she asked incredulously.

"Keh! I don't care," Inuyasha brusquely said. He missed the faint smile that graced her lips, the first true smile she's had for as long as she could remember.

"This Sesshomaru, Lord of the West, accepts this Miko Kagome's suit," Sesshomaru pronounced to the assembly. He had to get Kagome to his private chambers before he lost what little ettiqute and control he had left. Her battle had been glorious, and he couldn't have been more pleased with the attire she wore. Her skin was still flushed from the adrenaline, and her touseled hair made him want to sink his claws into it. Bloodied and beautiful. Fierce yet gentle. She had fought to the bitter end and proved her mighty strength. Even now, she had reiki to heal herself. Her power was comparable to his own. No one would question her right to be by his side, and she had done it all by herself. Sesshomaru's chest swelled with pride. 'My mate.'

Sesshomaru slowly walked forward to receive her. It was tormenting to keep such a tedious pace when his blood was thrumming with months worth of eagerness, exacerbated by the battle high from observing his Kagome. Still, he kept himself tightly leashed. He would wait until the elders of Demon Council blessed the union.

A black dog demon stepped forward. Tatsuya was Inu no Taisho's friend, and well over 3 millenia old. It was fitting for him to sanction this strange mating.

"Sesshomaru, my boy, you must tell me how you came to know such an enchanting creature," Tatsuya whispered just loud enough for Sesshomaru to hear. He knew there was no way this miko participated in a Demon Rite merely by chance.

Sesshomaru gave a low warning growl in response. Tatsuya smiled. The pup was as unsociable and possessive as ever. "Well then, as per Demon Rite – "

"This is absurd!" a shout interrupted Tatsuya. It was pitched such that no person could be singled out.

"Yes! Such favor to the West!" another voiced.

"The balance of power would be destroyed!" the complaints continued.

"The miko should be shared among all four lan-"

Sesshomaru's bone chilling snarl drowned out the last statement. "You ridiculed her presence, but as soon as you witness her power, you swoop in like vultures. There is only your lack of foresight to blame. Now, you dare suggest This Sesshomaru _'share'_ his mate?" he rumbled out in a deceivingly calm baritone.

Tetsuya stepped in before Sesshomaru decided to slaughter the whole lot. "It seems Lady Kagome's attentions are well sought after. By demon law, it is fair for any to challenge Lord Sesshomaru for mating rights. Step forth, challengers!" he announced.

"I am not a possession to be passed around! I chose Sessshomaru, and he has accepted. I will mate no other," Kagome retorted.

"Let him fight, young one. In demon society, a male can mate any female he is able to force under submission. A strong female may be able to hold her own, but usually she chooses a champion to protect her chance to select the best of her suitors, instead of ending up with one barely able to beat herself. A father or brother often fulfills this role. But in your case…"

"My champion is Lord Sesshomaru, if he allows," Kagome immediately caught on. Sesshomaru quickly nodded his consent. Fighting a demoness was one thing, but fighting someone of comparable battle prowess to Sesshomaru was another thing entirely. The 'mating' custom seemed rather barbaric in Kagome's eyes. However, it made sense given the value demons placed on strength. Afterall, it was only by this mentality that she was able to win a place by Sesshomaru. Kagome sighed. She was being hypocritical seeing as she had participated in a rite that made Sesshomaru the prize. "I apologize for my outburst. I simply did not want to see lives lost so meaninglessly when my champion will surely win," she covered.

Tetsuya grinned. The little miko was sharp. If she had insisted on such human reasoning, she might have discredited Sesshomaru as a champion and ended up having to defend herself. With a simple prompting, she immediately realized her mistake and corrected it with speed. In fact, judging by how Sesshomaru was practically preening under the indirect praise, she exceeded duty by giving her champion a vow of favor and trust. It was the best thing she could have done for Sesshomaru in front of such a prideful lot.

Sesshomaru wordlessly stepped forward and released all the youki he could without transforming. Several demons hit the ground by the sheer weight of Sesshomaru's aura. In Kagome's weakened state, would have collapsed as well had Tetsuya not strategically braced himself next to her. She flashed a thankful smile to him. This was not a time she could look weak.

"Who will challenge Lord Sesshomaru?" Tetsuya asked again. Some squirmed, but no one dared to face him. It was easy to forget just how much power Sesshomaru truly had when he kept it under such constant control.

When it was apparent no one would fight him, Sesshomaru reigned in his youki and turned his back to the assembly, clearly dismissing them as inconsequential. Many on the Demon Council growled, displeased by the lack of respect Sesshomaru so openly displayed.

"This Sesshomaru is strongest. A powerful mate changes nothing," he said over his shoulder to them. Sesshomaru then took out Kagome's scroll and threw it at Tetsuya. He caught it out of reflex. Immediately on contact, the scroll burst into ash. Everyone stared at the pile of dust in surprised horror. So that's what the miko meant when she said the blood pact would be nullified if someone else touched it. "This Sesshomaru does not need another's power," he arrogantly proclaimed.

Tetsuya sighed. The pup really needed to learn some people skills. If he wasn't going to take advantage of the blood pact, he should have done so earlier. Instead, he had to show everyone up with his strength and then reject the gift that many would kill their own sons for. If that wasn't enough, the damn pup had to do all this while his back was turned to them. Gods, as if Sesshomaru didn't have enough enemies already. Tetsuya wanted to smack his forehead against something. The pup was insufferable.

"Come," Sesshomaru commanded Kagome while holding out his hand to her.

Kagome smiled ruefully and accepted his hand. Sesshomaru swept her into his arms and left without another word.

"By Demon Rite, the Demon Council accepts the union between Lord Sesshomaru of the West and Miko Kagome," Tetsuya rushed out. Gods, what he would give to strangle the pup.

"Looks like we're left with cleanup duty huh, old friend," Seri came up next to Tetsuya.

"As always," Tetsuya sighed resignedly.

"Everyone please retire to the great hall. Festivities will begin there shortly. Your assigned servants will be by your rooms and see to your comfort. Please enjoy," Seri announced.


	30. Chapter 30

*Author Note: Okay I decided to re-add in all the lemony sections that I had cut out on the original upload. So enjoy!...or be warned hehe…*

"Only you could make a sweet gesture look so arrogantly vindictive," Kagome teasingly admonished while wrapping her arms tightly around Sesshomaru's neck. Honestly, if he just gallantly refused the scroll first, it'd be viewed as an act of good will to 'maintain the balance of power'. But this was Sesshomaru. He'd hack off his hand before seeming as if he was appeasing the council.

"Hm. This Sesshomaru is not…sweet," he said, with a hint of disgust at the last word.

Kagome grinned into his neck. It took true honor and fortitude to ignore the gift she had given him. A sweet, sweet gesture not to take advantage of her. How 'Sesshomaru' of him to hide the tender action under callous words.

Truthfully, Sesshomaru was mildly ashamed of his lapse in control. The delay to his mating, combined with the infuriating suggestion of _sharing _had finally sent him over the edge. However, he didn't regret his high handed actions. Not when Kagome's soft cheeks and feathery breaths were brushing so intimately against his throat.

"Hey, it's over right? You're really mine?" she whispered.

Sesshomaru was grateful for the interruption to his...insistent imagination. Still, her question was embarrassing. She didn't have to be so explicit about his softness towards her. "You are mine," he replied stoically.

Kagome smiled at his answer, and drifted off in his arms. The exhaustion had finally caught up to her.

By the time Sesshomaru arrived in his bedchambers, Kagome was in a deep, recuperative sleep. Sesshomaru allowed himself a small sigh. He had been anticipating, daresay fantasizing, about this moment. Yet in reality, he was left with a comatosed body. She needed to bathe and rest. His hands unconsciously tightened at the prospect of handing the miko off to a maid to bathe. Struggling with himself, he finally threw away centuries of learned protocol in favor of instincts. He would be mating her soon, so it wasn't too terrible to bathe her himself, no?

With painstaking care, Sesshomaru peeled off the layers of Kagome's battle kimono next to the hot spring. He was beginning to tremble with repressed need as her bloodied skin became exposed to his greedy eyes. Hideous bruises and lacerations marred her flesh, but her beauty was not lessened in the least. In fact, a small twisted part of his mind admitted that she looked incredibly erotic in her brutalized state.

His long tongue languidly licked a small oozing cut on her shoulder. Sesshomaru bit back a moan as her metallic sweetness slid across his taste buds. Unable to stop, he began cleaning her entire body with his tongue.

A throaty moan from Kagome finally brought him back to his faculties. He had been suckling her pert nipple when he elicited the sensual sound from the still sleeping woman. Sesshomaru mentally cursed for taking such liberties with her body. She was unconscious for gods sake! That still didn't stop him from licking his lips for traces of her taste.

Sesshomaru quickly divested himself of his clothes and sunk both himself and his intended into the hot spring before he could do more scandalous things to her body. However, the steaming water did not abate his reactions. He watched, mesmerized, as her inky locks floated around her, enticingly covering and uncovering her breasts.

Kagome took that moment to shift in her sleep and curl against him tighter. Her upper thigh brushed up against his engorged member. Sesshomaru stifled a pained groan. This had to be some new form of torture. The beads of moisture on her exposed neck were calling to him. Her flushed face and rosy lips were pulling his face down closer without his consent.

Sesshomaru knew there was a reason why he shouldn't wake her and ravish her for the next week, or month. He just couldn't recall it at the moment as he crushed his mouth onto her petal soft lips. His hands slipped further down to palm her core and tease her clitoris mercilessly.

Kagome awoke to the liquid passion coursing through her heated body with a gasp. Immediately, her mouth was invaded by a rough, wet tongue. Sesshomaru was playing her body like a fine instrument. He found sensitive spots she didn't even know existed. "Sesshomaru," she breathlessly moaned.

He opened his drunken eyes to drown in her lust clouded ones. He slipped a finger into her scorching tight vagina and began pumping vigorously. Kagome jerked at the foreign sensation and arched so strongly off of him, she almost slipped off his lap. Her cry of pleasure was quickly followed by a yelp of pain. Her bruised ribs were stretched uncomfortably.

Sesshomaru's mind finally cleared at her exclamation. Immediately, he retracted his hand and righted them in the pool. Kagome was still panting hard and clinging to his neck.

"This Sesshomaru…" He trailed off. He was intending to apologize for essentially molesting her unaware self. He had thoroughly taken advantage of her, but the apology stuck in his throat. Afterall, he would have done it again to get a sample of her sweetness. He was simply guilty – not only for waking her, but also for submitting her to such a vicious rite to begin with.

'I had thrown her into the lion's den.' Every wound was his fault. Every drop of blood split was for his sake. Yet she had defeated them all to be with him. He hadn't even properly asked her for courting or mating rights. Sesshomaru mentally cringed. He could at least give her the time to heal from the ordeal he'd put her through due to his own weakness and pride. "You must rest. This Sesshomaru will wait until you are healed."

He lifted them out of the hot spring and loosely wrapped a towel around Kagome. She made an incoherent sound of agreement, and was already on the brink of sleep. Sesshomaru set her gently on his raised futon. "Make haste, Kagome. This Sesshomaru also has his limits," he murmured into her ear as an afterthought.

He then slid into bed beside her, spooning her close to him. This time a sigh of contentment escaped his lips. During her absence the last three months, he'd barely been able to sleep, averaging about two hours a week. His nights were haunted by nightmares, and his days were filled with restlessness. The only time he slept well was the night she came back last week. It had only been four hours before he had to leave and erase all traces of his visit. Despite his roaring libido, even Sesshomaru had to concede he was at his limit. 'Just two days rest would do…no even one…' his thoughts trailed off into slumber.

The next day, Sesshomaru woke to a distressed Kagome who was futilely struggling against his securely clamped arm around her. A growl warned her to stay still.

"Ugh, you big lug. I got to go! Let me go," she grunted in exertion.

Sesshomaru stiffened at her rejection. "You are mine. You will not go anywhere," he rumbled dangerously.

"Nggh…No, you don't understand. I have to go PEE!" she shrieked and zoomed out the room as soon as his arm loosened from the shock of her words.

He joined her in the bathroom shortly after. He was still a little miffed at how easily she elicited such a violent reaction from him, but her antics were amusing as usual.

"You dog! I was holding it in for an hour before you finally decided to grace the world with your attention," Kagome huffed. Sesshomaru simply hoisted her onto his shoulder and carried her back to the futon.

Her playful grumbling instantly ceased when she saw him hovering over her with intense liquid gold eyes. Kagome hadn't given much thought to what would happen after the Demon Rite. She should probably tell him her feelings clearly, right? Or was he supposed to confirm what she had concluded from their awkward conversation before the rite? Did they even need such talk when actions spoke for them? Her rampant thoughts were settled when Sesshomaru opened his mouth to speak first.

"This is my only warning. I do not hesitate to condemn you with my tainted existence," he spoke with harsh gravity. A clawed hand gently traced her smooth cheek. "And you allow it so willingly," he murmured softly.

Kagome dared not speak even as she felt his mind turn inward.

Abruptly, his eyes refocused back onto her. "You need not be spoiled. Do you understand, Kagome?" he ended with steely determination.

As much as it tore his very soul to give her this choice, he wanted her to understand his doomed fate, and her freedom to escape from it. They had cleared all other obstacles. There were no more frivolous issues swaying their true feelings on the matter. Sesshomaru wanted Kagome more than ever, but a mating would mean near eternity. She had to accept wholeheartedly. This would be the first and last time he'd let her leave without hunting her down.

Kagome studied Sesshomaru's tensely guarded face. This was important to him, and he needed more than her blind faith. She carefully dissected his words, trying to read the graver unspoken warning. "There are many things I don't understand yet," she cautiously began. "But I think I understand the most important things about you, Sesshomaru. You are complicated, but not evil. I want to know more of you. So much more, so that I alone will know you better than any kin. I'm greedy like that," she wryly said.

Kagome took a deep breath, exhaling any residual humor. "What I do know has only made me…" She paused to bore her eyes into his soul. "Love you. I don't care about a seer's old words. I want to know your past, no matter how dark. I'll listen until there is no more to tell. I want to live the future by your side. I can sense it, though I don't fully understand yet – how difficult the position by your side is to bear. The Demon Rite was just the beginning, wasn't it? "

Sesshomaru's grim silence told her more than enough.

"As long as you stay beside me, I'll cook 'fried demon' as many times as needed," she smiled encouraging. Her charm faded to pensiveness.

"What I'm afraid of most isn't this intolerant society. I'm afraid of Time." Kagome's eyes shined with longing and despair. "I've told you before that I am only human. I will lose to Time. I want your happiness. I don't want you to ever be alone again. But I can't give—"

Sesshomaru chastely kissed her into silence. "My foolish little miko. If you will stay by me, then I will not allow even Time to take you away. A true mating can tie our lifespans together. You could still fall from mortal injury. However, your natural lifespan will be prolonged by my youki. A bonding of such magnitude is difficult. Both members must commit without reservation," he explained.

If it was a test of commitment, Kagome had full confidence she'd succeed. Her face almost cracked open in happiness at the possibility. However, there had to be _some _catch to this too-good-to-be-true scenario, no? "But, if I take your youki, won't you be weakened?" Kagome asked with selfless concern.

"Hm. This Sesshomaru's youki is near limitless," he sniffed arrogantly. Looking at Kagome's worried expression, he resigned himself to elaborating further. "A youkai's lifespan is determined by the amount of youki they possess. Unlike humans, a strong youkai can regenerate his youki indefinitely. Although, I suspect with the sheer amount of reiki you have, you'd live well past another century if you did not deplete it drastically. Regardless, I have more than enough youki to ensure you age as I do."

He paused to let the information register. He had almost purred his satisfaction with her response earlier. She had not once faltered to his challenge of her feelings. Instead, her face had pinched in concern and selfless loyalty for _his _imagined loss. Her endearing foolishness was unshackling all his instincts. Sesshomaru was quickly abandoning his attempt to let her go. He was being selfish. However, in exchange, he mentally vowed to protect this innocent beauty.

"Mate me, Kagome," Sesshomaru seductively commanded. His deep baritone was already laced with feral undertones. It seemed the concept of asking for his desires was truly beyond him. He had intended the statement to be a question. Really.

"Yes," Kagome answered through sparkling cobalt eyes dripping with happiness. It seemed Fate was for once on her side. Kagome didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It figured Sesshomaru was too self-centered to realize her greatest reservation. She had brought up her humanity so many times, fearing not only his disdain for human vices, but also the great disparity in their lifespans. She knew now why he had never addressed the latter issue. It had never been an issue in his mind! He was truly terrible with words. This egotistical, social stunted…hopelessly wonderful demon… 'I give up!'

Sesshomaru smashed his lips onto hers, expressing his joy through caresses instead of tears. Inside, he was giddy with the prospect of mating his Kagome. 'Giddy? Ridiculous…' He didn't even know such a term was in his vocabulary. The thoughts didn't last long as his hand began to roam the sensual planes of her body.

"Sesshomaru," Kagome breathlessly moaned.

This time he did purr as he trailed kisses down her throat, collarbone, and chest. The skin was once again milky and smooth after a day's healing. Yes, it was definitely better this way. His hands, ever mindful of his claws, became more insistent as they kneaded her firm flesh.

The molten heat bubbling inside him was consuming his mind. Sesshomaru's eyes were burning red by the time he reached her pert breasts. They weren't very big, but a nice handful that fit perfectly in his palm.

Kagome was writhing in pleasure from his ministrations. Her virginal modesty was long gone, and she arched wantonly into his mouth as he worshipped her breasts. She could only feel his rough, long tongue, and large scorching hands.

Sesshomaru almost broke skin when he switched to the twin mound and aggressively latched on. His markings were jagged, and enough youki was leaking out to flutter his long tresses. Sesshomaru dug his claws into his palm to stop his loss of control. He had wanted to pleasure Kagome until she melted. It was her first time and he wanted to make her as wet as possible for the penetration. However, her body was his undoing, easily snapping apart what little restraint remained.

He forcibly spread her legs and shoved his face to her core. Kagome yelped in surprise.

Sesshomaru growled as the overwhelming aroma of her creamy, tangy arousal saturated his nose. The vibrations made her whimper in need. He flicked her clitoris with his hot wet tongue. Kagome jerked and cried out. Sesshomaru wrapped his large hands around her hips to keep her steady as he lapped up her honeyed nectar like a starved man.

She was responding so beautifully, and judging by her clenching muscles, she was close to orgasm. However, Sesshomaru was at his limit. His mind had already blanked once while drinking up her addictive juices. He had to slow down before he completely lost control and hurt her. Snarling, he forced himself back onto his knees and held his body above the irresistible vixen.

Kagome finally noticed the pause and opened her swimming eyes to gaze at Sesshomaru's beautifully wild visage. His eyes were squeezed shut and his fangs were bared, as if in agony. Concern cut through her clouded mind. "What's wrong?" she whispered, voice still husky.

His eyes snapped open to reveal all its tortured glory. "I can't-" he bit out. A shudder from Kagome's soft hand touching his cheek interrupted his words. "Stop," he growled out. The conflict was clear on his face.

"What's the matter?" Kagome asked again, absently tracing the stripes over his hips.

Sesshomaru groaned and grabbed her errant hand. "If you do not stop, I will not be able to control myself," he finally forced out in a guttural baritone.

Kagome almost didn't understand the gravelly words, but when they registered, her face smoothed out in relief. For a minute there she was worried she had somehow displeased him. "Silly. Then stop holding back," she lightheartedly admonished.

"You do not understand! I could harm yo-" His words were once again cut off as Kagome craned forward and licked the underside of his neck as he had done to her.

"You'd never hurt me," she murmured between feathery kisses on his chest. Sesshomaru's eyes rolled back.

She was seducing him. The infuriating vixen of a miko was seducing him. And it was working. She didn't understand that his body would savagely take her without any regard to her comfort if he lost control. If he ever gave into the sweet temptation and surrendered his mind and body to base instinct…

Sesshomaru let out a tortured groan. Her delicate fingers had tentatively brushed against his hardened nipples. With his inadvertent encouragement, she was now darting her little wet tongue out to tease his sensitive skin. Gods those tentative, innocent licks were driving him insane. His entire body vibrated with repressed desire.

"It's alright. I love you. I'll accept all of you," she whispered into his ear. She licked the shell of his pointed ear for emphasis.

The effect was immediate. Sesshomaru forced her down and brought her legs up against herself to fully expose her dripping core. Kagome watched him align his rock hard cock to her hole in fascination. His penis was perfect like the rest of him – not vulgarly big, but long and thick, with a graceful upward curve. In one smooth motion, he slid his cock into her tight channel until he was seated to the hilt. Kagome groaned in pain as he penetrated her. The foreign member was uncomfortable and intrusive to her tender and untried body.

Meanwhile, the feral Sesshomaru moaned at the feel of her impressively tight core squeezing his dick. Her last words had finally crumbled his control, and he was lost to lustful instinct. Peering down at his mounted female through torquise irises, Sesshomaru rumbled his appreciation at the sight.

He held still for as long as he could bear to allow his intended to acclimate to his girth. As soon as her muscles loosened slightly, he withdrew and drove back into her with enough force to rock the raised futon.

Kagome screamed at the sensory overload. Just as the pain had relaxed its grip on her, he had moved and created a new wave of pain and pleasure. Surprisingly, this newfound pleasure was dulling her attention to the pain.

His pace built up rapidly until he was slamming into her with all his demonic might. Kagome was drowning in the feel of his cock pistoning within her. She had never felt so full, so _right._ This was nothing like the twinges of heat she got from pleasuring herself. This was a hot inferno that was relentlessly making her body sing. Sesshomaru's untamed movements and wild growls were coaxing her higher and higher into bliss.

"Sesshomaru!" she cried as the coil in her lower belly grew impossibly tight. Her aura was flaring as recklessly as his now.

"_Again,"_ came his thickly growled command. He wanted his name to be imprinted in her mind. Deeply. So that all she could think about was him. His severely possessive instincts were rearing ever higher.

Kagome understood the command he said in demon tongue purely through their mingled auras. She shouted his name again as he raised her hips up to penetrate even deeper within her. Every fiber of her being was tingling from the onslaught.

The short silvery tuft of hair around Sesshomaru's manhood was matting from the gush of wetness he was thrusting out of her. He grunted as his balls repeatedly slapped against her rear.

And then the coiled heat within Kagome exploded. Dizzying ecstacy swept through her tensed body, causing her aura to flood Sesshomaru's body. The electrifying surge of reiki forced Sesshomaru to spasm and release his pent up seed. He roared his completion and collapsed on top of Kagome. They were still connected and twitching in the afterglow of their orgasms.

The feral Sesshomaru came back to his faculties first. Her body glistened with a fine sheen of sweat, and her touseled midnight hair fanned across the sheets and clung to her skin. She was magnificent. _"Mine." _

Kagome felt more so than heard the claim.

Still hard, Sesshomaru began pumping into her soft warmth again. This time, Sesshomaru kept his gleaming eyes open to watch his Kagome's face contort with pleasure. Her body was completely limp and weak from her orgasm. She could only moan as her oversensitized flesh began to heat up once again.

Unlike the first time, there was no pause of gentleness, or gradual buildup of speed. Sesshomaru was completely engulfed in passion, and was ramming into Kagome with frenzied abandon.

Suddenly, he flipped her over onto her stomach and slammed into her from behind. Kagome's gasped cry was lost to Sesshomaru's carnal snarls. He covered her back with his body and held her wrists abover her head. Her chest was pressed firmly down into the bed while her hips and knees lifted off the bed with every rough stroke of his throbbing cock. He bent his head to graze her vulnerable neck with his elongated fangs. His hot puffs of breath raised goosebumps on her slick skin. Downy fur ghosted across Kagome's thighs as his mokomoko weaved them together. Sesshomaru's blazing red aura mimicked it, and further curled around her.

It was too much. Sesshomaru was thoroughly dominating her – mind, body, and soul. Kagome came hard, hoarsely screaming Sesshomaru's name. He continued his ruthless pounding into her quivering core. The slapping of their skin, together with her mewls, only made him drive harder into her. Kagome felt like she would break when another orgasm overtook her before the last one had even subsided.

In that moment, Sesshomaru also came and bit down on the junction of her neck and shoulder. His youki suffused her body through his fangs as he erratically milked himself dry. Her reiki came up to meet his youki and they bonded in a true mating. The conjoined power surge lit the night sky in the west.

Kagome's eyes slowly fluttered open. She had passed out for a few seconds after Sesshomaru had marked her. Serene sapphires met raging rubies.

"You've got to be kidding me," Kagome dryly commented in a cracking voice.

It was apparent that Sesshomaru was still aroused and eager for another round. His penis twitched inside her, indicating his readiness. Sesshomaru licked her already healed mark and purred, "Mine."

Kagome softened her expression when she heard the tenderness in his tone. The raw animal magnetism was still present, but it was his gentleness made her surrender everything.

This was going to be a long night.


	31. Chapter 31

*Author Note: I listened to the reviews and messages and have posted the original uncut story. Thank you for the reviews and support!*

Sesshomaru woke to the last orange rays of a setting sun. His entire body felt heavier than lead, but he was once again in control of himself. He was still tightly spooning a sleeping Kagome. Slowly, the events during his mental lapse came back to him. It was around this time yesterday when Kagome had agreed to mate him. And then he had lost it when she offered to take all of him. 'Such dangerous words,' Sesshomaru mentally grimaced. What happened after that?

His eyes slowly grew wide as he recalled more and more of the last 24 hours. 'Gods, eight times?...Or was it nine?' he exclaimed to himself. Sesshomaru had lost count how many times he had taken her, but it was definitely too many given she was a virgin and barely recovered. Mortified, Sesshomaru pulled away from Kagome, only to find himself still inside her. He carefully pulled out his flaccid length with a squelch.

"Too tired," Kagome sleepily moaned, and shifted. White fluid trickled from her core down between the crease of her thigh and bottom.

Sesshomaru stared at the sexy trail with a mix of male pride and guilt. While he was pleased that it was him that had filled her up so, he felt a pang of remorse to see her nether lips rubbed so raw. Still, his member grew heavy at the sight of his semen pooling on the bedsheets around her.

'She's injured because of you, and all you can think about is riding her again?' he mentally berated himself. Growling out his frustration, he tried to move further away.

Somewhere within Kagome's sleep addled mind, a pulsating headache was building with disturbing force. Kagome roused to the uncomfortable sensation and turned to find the source. However, her body violently protested the motion, and she hissed in pain. The pulsations spiked and Kagome closed her eyes in a useless effort to still it.

"Mate, what ails you?" Sesshomaru's steady voice filtered through her mind. His bored monotone did not hide his concern.

The pulsations became a duller throb. Kagome scrutinized Sesshomaru with unsettling fervor. "You, you're in my mind," she blurted out incoherently.

"You refer to the bond," Sesshomaru clarified. The mating had been unexpectedly strong, and their mental bond was atypically prominent in their conscious. Sesshomaru had instantly felt within his mind when Kagome's peace of sleep had been replaced with confusion and disorientation.

Realizing the crippling feelings of shame and guilt were coming from Sesshomaru, Kagome immediately grabbed his wrist. "What's wrong?" she asked in concern.

Sesshomaru tinted with embarrassment. It was quite unnerving for another to feel your emotions to such depth. Kagome was already plenty sensitive to his moods without the bond. Now there would be no deceiving her. "This Sesshomaru apologizes," he responded with his usual stoicism.

Kagome's jaw dropped open in disbelief. Had SESSHOMARU just apologized to her? The idea was too inconceivable. She vaguely wondered if she was perhaps still dreaming. She opened and closed her mouth, unable to formulate an intelligent response.

"Do not be so surprised," he nonchalantly said.

"How can you say that!" Kagome finally burst. "You are the most arrogant, prideful, insufferable, impossible person I know. You'd more likely fall on your sword than apologize to anyone," she vehemently accused.

Sesshomaru looked away. "This Sesshomaru is capable of apology. He is simply rarely in the wrong to warrant such," he haughtily proclaimed.

Kagome snorted and then giggled. Yes, that was the Sesshomaru she knew. "Uh…so what are you 'in the wrong' about?"

Sesshomaru stiffened in discomfort. His eyes drifted to her covered groin and then back to her pure face. Another wave of guilt assaulted him. "I did not intend your first to be so barbaric. I have hurt you," he quietly admitted. Just the idea of him causing her pain rolled his stomach.

"Idiot," Kagome bluntly said.

It was Sesshomaru's turn to gape at her. He was being serious and she was making fun of him! Did she not understand the dishonor he had done unto her? Did she not understand the magnitude of his apology when she clearly knew how rarely it was given?

Kagome rolled her eyes at his flabbergasted look. "You can be so stubborn in the dumbest ways," she huffed. Then, she slowly snuggled herself to his side. "I told you I'd accept all of you. Why would I blame you for showing me this new side of yourself?" Kagome thought through all the times they made love. She remembered how he had dominated her body. Yet for all his strength, he had not once crushed her or unnecessarily caused her pain. "Besides, you cared for my body even then. Look, I don't have a single bruise, just a bunch of love bites. And I'm only sore down there because we did it so many times. But every time you made sure I was ready for you. So erase those stupid thoughts right now. I'm not accepting your apology because there's no need for one."

Sesshomaru was stunned to find she was correct. The few times he had lost control in the past, he had gone on bloody rampages. Though he had never killed pack, he was not above maiming them in that state, as Inuyasha knew from experience. This was the first time he lost to sexual desire, but he knew he was a completely selfish creature when unleashed. There was no way she could have survived his lust unless he recognized her as mate even on the basest level. She had somehow elicited just enough protective instinct to save her from the blind lust he felt.

Sesshomaru hugged her to him tightly. He was so relieved he didn't have to worry about seriously harming her. Nonetheless, he should still try to restrain himself from rutting so often in one sitting. His brave little miko couldn't walk, and hadn't eaten for near two days now.

"You require food," he announced. With uncharacteristic gentleness, he lifted her up and set her down inside the hot spring. Kagome sighed in relief as the warm water soaked her sore muscles. "Stay, I will return with nourishment," he commanded.

Kagome simply grunted in agreement, happy that her mind was no longer swirling with Sesshomaru's misplaced guilt. Her head lolled back onto the rocks as she relaxed.

Sesshomaru lingered for longer than necessary at the outskirts of the spring. Reclined half on the rocks and half in the water, she was luring him with a soundless siren's call. His mark, an intricate crescent moon, was displayed beautifully on her slender neck. Whisps of her vanilla lavender fragrance, laden with his own rich cedar floated in the air. Sesshomaru swiftly turned away before he decided to join her.

Carrying a large tray laden with an absurd amount of food, Sesshomaru was stopped by the one person who dared to interrupt his mating.

"Lady Mizuki," Sesshomaru addressed coldly.

Mizuki frowned. "Will you not call your own mother?"

Sesshomaru almost growled. The demoness before him had not been a mother to him for almost as many centuries as he was old. He would never let her see behind his cool façade. "This Sesshomaru addresses the queen of the inuyoukai clan with due respect," he impassively answered.

His mother airly waved off the age-old issue of his overly formal title for her. Sesshomaru had not called her "mother" since he'd returned from the dragon's lair in his youth. "If you so respected me as more than a simple member of the Demon Council, you should have informed this one of your…distraction with the human prior to the rite. How shocking to find my son acknowledging a _human _as mate," she blithely commented.

Sesshomaru's impossibly glacial eyes somehow managed to freeze over further. Her almost mocking tone grated on his nerves. "This Sesshomaru requires no one's approval, especially not yours," he dismissed. With several long strides, he bypassed the demoness.

Abruptly, Sesshomaru stopped. Without turning around, he curtly added, "Kagome is the new Lady of the West. Address her with the proper respect." He then left his mother, by blood alone, gaping in the hallway.

"You have changed," Mizuki quietly murmered to herself as Sesshomaru swiftly disappeared. Her cold son had never cared about how others were spoken of. Her lips slowly curled in a smirk.

A week later, Kagome stepped foot outside of Sesshomaru's chambers at last.

"That dog. That damn horny dog," Kagome muttered as she gingerly made her way to the infirmary. She may be able to heal herself, but she was still sore as hell. Sesshomaru had been insatiable, and she honestly swore his sexual stamina was second to none. When she had confronted him on the subject, he had the gall to blame _her_, citing his relatively celibate lifestyle before her!

Her legs, trembling like a newborn foal's, buckled in her anger. She caught herself before spilling onto the floor in an undignified heap. Kagome mumbled a string of curses that'd make Inuyasha proud. 'How had he managed to trick everyone for so long?' Although, some tiny tiny part of her brain admitted she was thoroughly pleased and flattered to have elicited such strong reactions from her powerful demon lord. Kagome flushed at herself. Gods she was hopeless.

"Kagome! Are you sure you should be here?" Seri rushed over to support her.

Red from embarrassment, Kagome quickly waved her help off. "I'm fine, I'm fine! Besides, Sesshomaru finally let me out so I could come here. He uh…I uhm…" She blushed beet red.

"I need some contraceptives, at least until Naraku is defeated," Kagome finally blurted out.

Seri blinked owlishly at her.

The awkward silence dragged on.

"Hey Sessho-er…Kagome?" Inuyasha came hollering, barging into the infirmary. He ground to a halt, bug-eyed and sputtering. "Hot fuck! How many times did you DO it? You smell so much like the bastard I thought you were him! Damn wench, take a shower before going out in public! Ugh, of all the…don't even make me THINK about my brother doing the nasty with my pack sister! It's just WRONG," he ranted.

If Inuyasha, who wasn't exactly known for cleanliness, was asking her to take a shower, Kagome knew it was bad. Gods did he have to be SO loud and crude about such a…a delicate topic? "I already did, Inuyasha," she said in a sickenly sweet voice.

Inuyasha's ears immediately flattened before a huge ball of reiki bulldozed him to the ground.

Kagome mentally vowed to make Sesshomaru pay for leaving her to deal with ALL the awkward conversations. 'Just you wait, buddy….just you wait…'

Sesshomaru shifted uncomfortably in his study. He'd been feeling some murderous intentions coming through the mating bond for the past hour. 'Surely she will calm down by dinnertime,' he uneasily thought.

He knew his claiming had been rather strong. Sesshomaru mentally winced. More like down right overpowering. With how inundated she was with his scent, he would not be surprised if the more uncouth members of his staff gave a few good natured teases. However the level of his claim, by custom, demonstrated his favor. He was bestowing a great honor on her in fact.

Still, he was fully aware of the reaction she would get when he sent her off to the infirmary. But he refused to discuss contraceptives with anyone besides his mate. Kagome was going into heat soon, and he wasn't about to impregnate her while Naraku was still at large. The vile creature was clearly targeting her, and hanyou pregnancies were particularly unpredictable. Combined with her miko constitution and penchant for trouble, Sesshomaru did not want to consider the disasterous possibilities. He would protect her, even if it meant a delay in siring an heir.

Kagome was ready to skewer Sesshomaru by the end of the day. One poke for every time a guard winked at her or said something along the lines of "atta girl". Or for every maid that giggled and blushed as she went by. Sometimes she really wished demon senses weren't so keen.

She was vaguely wondering if her face had been permanently stained red when she rounded a corner and almost collided with a demoness. Standing before her was a tall and elegant inuyoukai, who bore a striking resemblance to Sesshomaru. Her piercing, worldly eyes belied her youthful appearance. It wasn't hard to guess that this was Sesshomaru's mother.

Kagome made a commendable recovery. "Lady Mizuki, how may I help you?" she respectfully said with a low bow. Inside, Kagome was in chaos. Since she'd heard about Sesshomaru's past, she had a few choice words to say to the sad excuse for a mother. However, she was still Sesshomaru's mother, and proper manners told her to hold her temper.

Mizuki could hear the girl's rapid heartbeat, and purposefully prolonged the tense silence. "Ah, so you are the one. Care to walk with me, girl?" she silkily invited.

They fell into step as Mizuki led her deeper into the gardens. Kagome tensed, but said nothing, when she felt the demoness erect a sound barrier.

"Your powers were impressive during the rite. But your presence, _miko,_ is only barely tolerated. My son has made many enemies by consorting with your type. It begs the question: Are you really worth it?" Mizuki broke the peace.

Kagome's mouth tightened. The lady dowager's claws were as sharp as her looks. They struck true and deep. "Your concern is understandable. I will prove my worth as many times as necessary," she diplomatically responded.

"Without any political ties? Nor valuables to offer? This is a time of strife, and strength in number is  
>more important than individual fortitude. You are weak. My son will fall with such a glaring weakness," the demoness sneered.<p>

Truthfully, Kagome had been worried about the same thing. She was by all objective standards, unfit to be Lord Sesshomaru's mate. Except for her powers. It was her saving grace in this society, and one she relied on far too much. It was frustrating to hear such ugly truths. However, she did not come back to Sesshomaru with such half-hearted resolve.

"I knew this path would be a difficult one to follow. I am only one person, but I will be the one to share your son's burden. As my mate has demonstrated, there are other ways to create alliances. Watch me become the best Lady of the West. For _I _will never abandon him," Kagome steadily said. She couldn't resist throwing in the last jab at Sesshomaru's mother.

"You would rather take on the burdens alone, rather than share your mate? It would be most logical for him to take a few more wives, particularly demonesses with influence and the ability to produce full-blooded heirs," Mizuki pushed, pointedly ignoring Kagome's veiled insult.

Kagome's eyes narrowed in outrage. "Sesshomaru is MY mate. No one else has the right to suggest such a thing to me. And I will make sure to satisfy him in ALL aspects so he will never say those words to me. My children, even as hanyou, will be stronger than anything those defeated demonesses can produce," she snarled. Kagome was glowing with barely contained reiki.

'More possessive than a demoness,' Mizuki wondered. "Pups, dear. They are pups, not children. Really now, shouldn't you have learned to curb such _human _propensities? They will not do in this _demon _society," she flippantly said. Mizuki's ever present smirk only widened at the miko's flustered appearance.

But then Kagome's reiki disappeared, hidden once again deep within her deceptively weak body. "You are difficult to understand, Lady Mizuki," Kagome softly said. She met her teasing honeyed eyes with her intense, bottomless blue ones. "This conversation was a warning, right? So that I will be prepared for the trials to come? Your warning is appreciated, but I will not succumb to acid tongues. Thank you," she said, bowing slightly.

Mizuki sighed, her eyes softening ever so slightly from their normally cynical gaze. "Hm…So this is why my son harbors you. Use that perception wisely. For you are in a position to lead my son to greatness, or sink him lower than any beast," she finally relented.

Kagome studied this confusing female. She was perhaps even harder to gauge than Sesshomaru. Like mother, like son? "Your love is hard to understand, and even harder to accept. You do not even try to make it easier," she openly observed. There was one thing she needed to know. "Is this what happened when Sesshomaru was returned from the dragon's clutches as a broken youth?" she more tentatively asked.

Mizuki arched an eyebrow in surprise. "You know much of a past that shouldn't exist."

Kagome glared at the evasive demoness. "Is that your answer? To erase the memories as if you were re-writing a history scroll? He was suffering all alone! He needed a MOTHER, not the Lady of the West!" she fumed.

"And what mother can so easily stomach the guilt and pain of seeing her own pup ruined so thoroughly? You disgusting humans defiled him! I could only face him as the Lady of the West, lest there be two broken individuals in the royal house," Mizuki snarled back. Her calm and wily face had finally crumbled.

Kagome rushed forward and awkwardly hugged the hurt demoness. She encased them in her gentle aura. "I see. I understand your decision now. But have you ever considered that maybe your decision was wrong? Would it have truly been so bad to have broken with him, and then healed together? Instead, he's been bleeding from a wound that was never allowed to heal. To this very day," Kagome softly spoke.

Mizuki felt the miko's warm white aura engulf her and temporarily soothe the old ache in her heart. "Know your place, human," she said without the usual bite. Nor did she push the petite girl away. Mizuki knew she had protected herself over her son by making such a decision. However it was too late to regret or rectify that. "Healing is what a miko does best. This one leaves him to you, little one," she conceded.

Kagome's face bloomed into a dazzling smile. She released the now calm demoness and stepped back. Her smile turned impish. "I won't lose to you, _Mother_," she brazenly declared.

Mizuki almost choked on her own saliva at the miko's disgusting title of endearment. "What a brat," she huffed.

"Hey, take some responsibility too. Talk to your own son like a mother should. I'll see you later, Mother," Kagome called as she left the barrier. She beamed one last wide smile at the proud demoness.

Tsk," Mizuki clicked her tongue. 'The cheeky brat…Sesshomaru really knows how to pick them…'


	32. Chapter 32

*Author Note: Another uncut chapter. Thank you for the reviews and support!*

A whirlwind of a month passed. Between learning the full duties of the Lady of the West, and keeping Sesshomaru's constant arousal at bay, Kagome was ready to collapse. Thankfully, Sesshomaru's youki infusion had the most desirable side effect of reducing the amount of sleep Kagome needed. She could now live off of 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night. Although, a demon like Sesshomaru required only 2 hours a night if he slept regularly.

Kagome was summing up the fall harvest that had just been collected when she felt Sesshomaru's youki brush insistently against her. She had her own study adjacent to his, separated by a thin side door. She rebutted his youki with a quick flash of her reiki.

A second later, his youki returned, stroking her even more ferverently. Kagome tried to ignore the sensation as she calculated how much of the harvest needed to be stored for reserve over winter. Another nudge. Kagome's eye ticked in irritation.

Another nudge.

"That's it!" She shot out of her chair and stormed through the flimsy door separating them. "What's the big idea? I'm trying to work here! Stop distracting me," Kagome fumed. Before she could blink, Sesshomaru materialized in front of her and caged her back onto the door she had just come through.

He touched the sensitive mating mark on her neck. Arousal instantly shot through her system. It didn't hurt that Sesshomaru had been sending hot, heavy vibes through the mating bond for the last half hour. "Nggg, you are not being fair," Kagome groaned. Wetness was already pooling between her legs, and she knew Sesshomaru could smell it.

He pushed his hard length against her stomach and slowly undulated his hips. "This Sesshomaru told you to arrange a desk within his own study," he rumbled out.

"But then I'd never get any work done," Kagome weakly retorted. Her eyes had closed from the pleasurable rubbing.

"And teasing me with your presence through a pitiful door is supposed to be better?" he growled against her throat. "More work would be accomplished if you did not resist," he added seductively. He suddenly sliced apart her obi and undergarments.

Kagome gasped as her heated flesh was exposed to the cool autumn air. "Could you stop ruining perfectly good clothing?" she chastised half-heartedly. Her gaze was fixed on the smooth expanse of ivory skin that Sesshomaru's loose haori revealed.

"It is your own fault. This Sesshomaru has been calling you for the past half hour. If you had dutifully come, I might have divested you properly." His hand hooked one of Kagome's legs over his arm while the other lifted and pressed her into the door.

"Meanie," she murmured, with a grin.

"Stubborn," he breathed with a smirk.

He plunged his aching member into her weeping core without further preamble. Both moaned in pleasure.

"Ah! So hard," she mewled.

"So hot," he echoed.

What were they bantering about again? It no longer mattered as their pace became wild. The door rattled precariously as Sesshomaru plowed into Kagome with reckless lust. He bit down on the mating mark, forcing her to climax. He repeated the motion and she spasmed again.

Sesshomaru had found out rather early in their sexual exploration that he could drive her to orgasm by biting down on her mating mark as if to remark her. Taking advantage of this now, he kept up the furious pace until Kagome dug her nails into his back and opened her mouth in a silent scream. The prick of pain, combined with her tightly constricting sheath wrest a violent spurt of ejaculate from his body.

He leaned against her, reveling in the afterglow of the quick tryst.

After a moment, Sesshomaru withdrew and carried her to his chair, sitting her down on his lap.

They really had too much work to be indulging. However, he hadn't partaken in the now routine morning sex today. He'd been dragged out before dawn to deal with an untimely landslide. Although he just had to assign some emergent rescue teams, once he stepped foot into his study, there was no hope of escaping back to bed. Kagome was steadily handling more duties and decreasing his workload. But for every assignment she took off his hands, there always seemed to be some natural disaster or minor catastrophe to take its place.

Sesshomaru buried his nose into her hair. He just wanted to be with his mate. Regular demons usually sequestered themselves for at least a month after mating to solidify the bond and pup their female. As a lord, he was not allowed such luxury. Moreover, he needed to defeat Naraku before he sired anything.

"You broke the door," Kagome absently commented after she regained her breath. She was already used to his merciless manipulation of her body, but the poor door was partially cracked down the middle from the abuse.

"It was wretched and unnecessary," Sesshomaru sniffed. He really didn't like the thing. The audacity of it to try and separate him from his mate in the already short time they had with each other…

Kagome playfull slapped his arm. "You've broken every wall, screen, and door I've erected there." She sighed in defeat. She had ended up doing her work on Sesshomaru's lap every time they went to their studies. "Okay, okay. I'll move my desk in here. But in exchange, I get a break from you! It's high time I visited Kaede and Kouga to tell them about my mating."

Sesshomaru was just about to grin at his victory until she mentioned Kouga. His lips curled back in a sneer instead. He still held a grudge against the insolent wolf for calling his mate 'his woman'. Besides, the Holy Village and Eastern Wolf Tribe were far. "No."

Kagome glared at the recalcitrant demon. "If you haven't noticed yet, this is kind of a big event for me. My friends deserve to know," she ground out.

"This Sesshomaru will send word," he dismissively said.

"I haven't seen Kaede in forever! And you left Kouga thinking he just fed me to some horrible monster!" she retorted.

"Hm."

"Ugh!" Kagome breathed deeply to calm herself. 'There's always a reason to his unreasonableness… There's always a reason…' she chanted to herself. "Why won't you let me go to see them?" she beseeched.

Sesshomaru looked out to the east. "It is unsafe," came his clipped response. His emotions were still disconcertingly out of control. He wasn't sure if it was a natural consequence of the mating, but he had this illogical fear that she would disappear if he ever let her go.

Kagome's expression softened. She could feel how perturbed her mate was even if she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was causing it. "Will you feel better if you go with me?" Kagome blushed slightly. "I didn't really mean I needed a break from you. I always feel safer with you. Plus, I want to introduce my friends to my mate."

"Hm," he agreed. How could he not when she phrased it like that? It was also a good opportunity to take a break, he tried to convince himself. Sesshomaru turned away from Kagome. It had nothing to do with her big, pleading, doe-like, blue eyes.

"Kaede! I'm back!" Kagome cheerfully called out as she entered the old woman's hut.

She had returned to the Holy Village three days after convincing Sesshomaru to take the journey. Upon arrival, they found the village protected by a reiki barrier. It wasn't unexpected for a holy village. While Sesshomaru could have easily broken it, he opted to remain at the edge of the forest while she caught up with the elder.

"Ye look well, Kagome," Kaede said. She was in the middle of brewing a cup of tea.

Kagome smiled. "Yes, much better than last time. Thank you for your help!"

"No problem," Kaede responded with a smile.

Kagome was mildly surprised she didn't ask for details. In fact, she didn't even admonish her for her headstrong actions. A soul link with a cursed being could have easily gotten her killed. Besides, she rarely escaped a scolding when she visited Kaede.

Instead, Kaede handed her a cup of tea. "Now, tell me how you've been," she nurturingly said.

Kagome waved off her stroke of luck. "Oh, Kaede, I feel like I'm in a dream," she gushed. Kaede shifted in her seat and sloshed some tea out by accident.

"I mated him. I mated Sesshomaru," she enthusiastically continued. "I know you were worried, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you more before this. But nothing was guaranteed and…and…" Kagome faltered mid-sentence.

What was this suffocating feeling enclosing on her body? Her eyes blurred.

"Kaede?" Kagome hesitantly asked. Her vision cleared momentarily to reveal a man sitting on a crane. 'What in the world is happening? That's not Kaede…'

And then the miko collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

"She's out?" Kikyou asked, sweeping into the hut.

Byakuya stretched and cracked his back. He'd been guised as an old hag for half a day waiting for the damn miko to show up. "Mnnf," he affirmed. "She scared me when she started talking. I thought she'd seen through my illusion," he complained. "But I must say, your potion was quite effective."

Kikyou ignored him, opting to stare at the fallen girl's neck where her demon taint was displayed so proudly. She frowned. It was truly a sad day to see one of her own so misled and corrupted. It was a mystery how the girl still possessed purification powers, which they had just suppressed with the potion placed in her tea. Even more confusing was why all these demons were so obsessed with this defective miko.

"I do not know why you demons seek her. However, she is no longer this village's concern. She is no longer a miko. Lord Naraku may deal with her as he wishes. I've fulfilled my part of the bargain. It is your lord's turn to fulfill his and assist us in taking down the four demon lords," Kikyou said with chilling indifference. She had already relegated Kagome to something lower than a whore or beast.

Byakuya simply strugged and hoisted Kagome onto his paper crane. He had to report to Lord Naraku before he got punished. Naraku was getting impatient after laying dormant for over four months.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru tensed when he felt the mating bond quiet. It was far too fast for her to have finished talking and fallen asleep, wasn't it? He was probably just paranoid. His instincts had been tingling ever since Kagome suggested this trip. It was most likely a side effect from the mating, bringing his overprotective instincts to hole up and pup his new mate to the forefront. Still, he never made light of his instincts.

Kneeling down, he placed his palm flat on the ground and rumbled a subsonic growl. It was a call to his inuyoukai kin. While his mother would not respond to the call, Inuyasha would be able to feel it within the hour. Sesshomaru had already arranged a backup force with Inuyasha and Jura before leaving. As soon as Inuyasha sensed his call, he'd mobilize the force. It was overkill, but Sesshomaru's thorough and cautious nature was bred from blood and tears.

He then stood and regarded the barrier surrounding the village. Since mating Kagome, his youki has been laced with reiki. In fact, she had left her mark on him as well – the crescent moon on his forehead was now weaved with intricate white strands. Sesshomaru suspected he had gained immunity to purity, but had not tested the predicted ability.

This was as good an opportunity as any. Sesshomaru thrust his hand through the reiki barrier. The skin around the breeched hand glowed with Kagome's white aura, protecting him perfectly as it passed the barrier.

"Hm," he hummed, quite pleased.

He wasted no time entering the village and melting into the shadows.

Something was wrong. Sesshomaru immediately noticed the village was abnormally quiet.

Icy claws of fear sunk deep into Sesshomaru's heart. 'Kagome.' He contained his panic by sheer willpower as he frantically searched for her presence. The mating bond was still muted as if in sleep, and her aura was close. However, he could not pinpoint the location. Sesshomaru noticed the faint smog in the air. They were burning something to disrupt his senses. It was strong to affect someone like him.

Sesshomaru methodically went through the village discreetly overturning every incense burner. Nonetheless, his senses were already diminished. He could only detect an aura at very close range, and his sense of smell was almost nonexistent. A ringing in his ears drowned out all but the most obvious sounds. Sesshomaru closed his eyes briefly against the disorienting noise, and almost pitched forward. Apparently his balance was off as well.

He squashed the inkling of forboding creeping into his conscious. His mind raced with possible scenarios and options. He was in enemy territory, and clearly impaired, with only his sight and tactile sensation intact. While he had eliminated the source, there was no telling how long the effects would last. The enemies were likely waiting in ambush for when he presented himself. However, they likely knew he was somewhere within the village as soon as he stepped through the barrier. Moreover, they held a most valuable hostage. The situation looked grim.

Securing Kagome was the top priority. Despite his disadvantage, he could not pass up the narrow opportunity to rescue her before she was completely out of his reach. Retreat was not an option. He needed some sort of decoy to flush out the enemies so he could slip through the chaos undetected.

Sesshomaru cursed his overconfidence that had landed them in this mess. Within the castle, their duties had always interrupted his new mating. He had wanted no one to disrupt the reprieve of this outing, thinking himself sufficient protection for them both. However, he had let his guard down, underestimating the trickery of a supposedly 'holy' village.

There was only so much he could do alone. Never in his long life had he contemplated needing his hanyou brother as he did now. But it would take an hour for Inuyasha just to receive his message, and about half a day at best before reinforcements would arrive. Luring the enemy to a more advantageous position was not an option. And there was only a limited window of time to save Kagome, definitely not enough time to concoct a more elaborate counter ruse.

Sesshomaru clenched his fist. 'So be it,' he defiantly proclaimed in his mind. His aura became eerily still – the calm before a storm.

Burning.

The huts, the stables, the fields, the market, the silos storing all the winter grain…everything was a blazing conflagration! Even the livestock were set aflame and stampeding wildly through the streets of the village and into the surrounding forest, spreading the fire even more.

While the village had been cleared beside the spiritual humans, those left were devastated by the sudden turn of events. One minute, the monks and mikos had been hiding within the huts and well-camouflaged trenches, ready to ambush the demon lord. The next, their very livelihoods had been lit ablaze in a nightmarish inferno. Chaos ensued as the spiritual warriors abandoned their posts and futilely tried to contain the flames. Their home would be burned to the ground before nightfall.

In the shadows, Sesshomaru allowed himself a mirthless grin. They were only human in the end.

"Cease your useless actions and kill the demon who took away your home!" Byakuya yelled to the mass of hysterical villagers. "Pick up your weapons and find the bastard with the holy powers you're so proud of!"

The villagers' panick was instantly transformed into anger and hate at Byakuya's words. They had known, even as they threw pail after pail of water onto a blazing barn, that all was lost. Their eyes sparked with the promise of retribution as they cast their buckets aside in favor of bows and sutras.

Sesshomaru, who had been relentlessly searching for Kagome, immediately stilled himself. He had hid his aura upon entering the village, and now he blended seamlessly into the shadows. He prepared himself to attack the nearest group of monks.

Unexpectedly, a raging, flaming cow smashed into the alley Sesshomaru had hid himself in. With his position revealed, Sesshomaru darted forward, dismantling the monks with a single flick of his poison whip. They didn't even have a chance to scream.

Sesshomaru was gone before their bodies landed on the ground.

Kikyou's impassive face broke into an angry grimace as she watched her brethren get slaughtered from an elevated stone platform. The despicable demon was too fast! No human could track him, let alone land a hit on him. "Byakuya! Slow the beast down!" she snarled.

Byakuya haughtily snorted. "Since when do I follow _your_ orders? Wretched human," he sneered.

"I will strike you down if you do not prove yourself useful," Kikyou threaten. Her bow was drawn and aimed at the illusionist. She hated these foul, selfish demons. Their greedy actions only proved they all had to be cleansed one day. For now though, she'd have to tolerate these filthy creatures. Afterall, to fight a monster, one must use a monster.

Byakuya pulled out a lotus flower, preparing to launch his own attack. The uppity bitch needed to be taught a lesson.

"Calm now. We are allies," Naraku slickly interjected.

He had appeared so suddenly.

"Lord Naraku," they both immediately bowed, backing down.

"Shall we greet our guest?" he nonchalantly remarked, pulling an unconscious Kagome closer to his body like a shield.

"Sesshomaru, welcome. I would suggest standing down if you still want to keep this lovely head attached to your precious miko," Naraku airily called out.

Sesshomaru halted in the middle of the village. He heard Naraku's taunt over the din in his ears. A few mikos did not hesitate to snipe at his eyes from afar. The arrows broke uselessly on his flared youki.

Naraku narrowed his eyes and brought his claws closer to Kagome's exposed neck. "Does the bad dog need a lesson? I do not have to kill her quickly," he pressed.

Sesshomaru obediently threw away his sword and suppressed his youki. If looks could kill, Naraku would have been a melted puddle of acid, frozen over, crushed, and then cast into the four corners of the earth.

"Fire!" Kikyou shouted. She wasted no time commanding all the spiritual warriors to pierce the demon lord with more holes than a pincushion. Enormous reiki spears, glowing arrows, and sutras all converged on Sesshomaru. If he didn't explode into purified glitter, he'd at least be staked to the ground like an insect.

The large boom of impact blew up a mushroom of dust, momentarily occluding everyone's view of the demon lord.

In a blink, Sesshomaru reappeared right in front of Naraku and thrust his claws into his barrier with enough force to shatter it.

Naraku's eyes widened in shock when his barrier fractured into a million pieces. He managed to call upon Byakuya, who warped Sesshomaru's perception just in time for Naraku to avoid getting his heart torn out. Instead, the deathly calm demon lord tore a large hole into his shoulder. Naraku was livid. Sesshomaru had not been so powerful before to shatter his barrier so easily. He immediately sprouted tentacles to force Sesshomaru back, and disappeared with Kagome in a cloud of miasma.

Sesshomaru roared in outrage as the slimy cretin escaped with his mate. He knew Naraku would not kill Kagome then. If Naraku could have sacrificed Kagome and completed the shikon no tama right here, he would have done so instead of rendering her unconscious. Still, Sesshomaru's body had frozen when he saw Kagome dangling at the tips of the vile mongrel's lethal claws. He had missed that golden opportunity to take Naraku down before any could locate him.

Luckily, he was given a second chance when the useless spiritual warriors launched a simultaneous attack and provided him with the perfect cover. He had dodged just as the attack was about to hit, and propelled himself forward with unparalleled speed. However, he had been thwarted yet again.

This time, the consequences were dire. Kagome could be forever lost to him. Sesshomaru thundered out another hate-filled roar as he gave chase. The discarded Bakuseiga flew back to its red-eyed master's hand.

Kikyou and the spiritual warriors launched another barrage of attacks. Sesshomaru didn't even try to avoid the reiki attacks, so lost was he in pursuit. The pure energy bounced harmlessly off his skin. Kikyou paled when she realized he was immune to purification. She immediately called a retreat. She had lost enough villagers in one day.

"Tsk…On to plan B," Byakuya observed. With one whisle, hordes of demons descended from the clouds. They blacked out the sky, but Sesshomaru was not deterred, cutting a path with his sword and poison whip.

Anticipating this, Byakuya took out a fox demon statue and torched the sky with its green fox fire. Burning carcasses rained down on Sesshomaru, preventing him from persuing Naraku. He was finally forced to the ground. Byakuya immediately smashed the fox demon statue next to Sesshomaru, engulfing him in a bubble of fox fire.

Oxygen was quickly getting consumed within the fox fire bubble. Sesshomaru unhesitatingly transformed into his true form and busted free. His fur was singed, but he was otherwise unharmed. However, in his larger form, he couldn't completely avoid the attack waiting for him outside. His eyes were doused in a thick, tarry substance, effectively blinding his last working faculty.

Innumerable low level demons closed in on him. Sesshomaru transforms back into his humanoid form to minimize youki expenditure and make him a smaller target. Without perception, he could merely rely on his fast reflexes to fend off the blows as he twirled and kicked in the maelstrom of demons.

Sesshomaru knew he had to get to more defendable ground if he wanted to survive this endless army. Methodically, he fired youki orbs from his sword in different directions until he heard the loud cracking of trees. He quickly headed toward the forest. As predicted, Sesshomaru felt the increased humidity in the air, indicating the body of water he was looking for. He followed the moisture gradient up to the lake by Goshinboku and dived in.

Now, he could focus on aerial attacks while grounded demons would have to wade through water to reach him. He'd be able to feel the vibrations of their movements well in advance in the water. It wasn't ideal, but still a marked improvement from his completely exposed position before.

Kagome woke to discover her outstretched body completely immobilized on a spell circle suspended in the middle of a large dark room. Only her head could move. Frantically glancing around, she found the room deserted of people. Letting out a breath, she continued to examine her surroundings more carefully. She noticed a peculiar smelling, bubbling brew to her side, and a large pedestal holding a swirling ball of light behind her. She studied the mysterious light, unusually mesmerized.

The clang and grinding creak from a heavy metal door opening brought Kagome out of her rapture. Naraku slithered inside and began circling around her. He languidly tightened the circle until he was breathing on her throat from behind.

"Naraku," she hissed. His breath on her skin was giving her goosebumps. His entire presence felt like disgusting dark slim – a leech sucking out all goodness from the world. Kagome felt like crawling out of her own skin just to avoid his aura.

"How good of you to join us this time, Kagome," he silkily said. Naraku sucked in a deep breath. "And you bear such a delicious treat…" He slid a hand down her stomach and cupped her sex.

Kagome's heart sank. He was referring to her heat. Her heat cycle had begun. She still wasn't accustomed to tracking her heat cycles, but retrieving contraceptives from Seri was an unforgettable reminder. She had been masking her scent for the past two days now. Naraku shouldn't have scented anything.

Yet as she tried to flare her reiki and reestablish a barrier, her powers abruptly stopped. They strained and churned inside her, but did not surface. It was as if someone had put a lid on her powers. "What did you do?" she snarled.

Naraku laughed darkly. "So you've finally noticed the damper on your powers? A miko really does know a miko best. I must applaude your fellow sisters. The draught they concocted is quite effective, neh?"

Kagome clenched her teeth, desperately trying to contain her fear. She was in a terrible position, but breaking down would not help. 'Think, Kagome!' she shouted in her mind. She was bound by a spell, and with no viable reiki, there was no way she'd escape on her own. However, that didn't mean she was completely helpless. "Sisters? I have no sisters," she baited. She needed him to keep talking. If nothing else, she could get some information from the gloating scum.

Naraku's smile widened even further. "Ah yes. I believe Kikyou said something similar – 'She is no longer a miko. Deal with her as you please,' I think were her exact words. The village you were born in rejects you, all too happy to be rid of their greatest shame. And they were so helpful too. Didn't you like their weapons? Tell me, how many demons loyal to your precious demon lord died to them? Did you know any personally? Did you watch as some came in too late to be saved by you? Did you clean their purified ashes away?"

Kagome closed her eyes against the irrepressible spike of anger. 'Gods, the villagers had supplied the reiki weapons.'

"Yes, miko. That's it. _Hate _them. Curse the breathren who betrayed you and condemned your new _family _to death," he coaxingly whispered into her ear.

Kagome smiled coldly, glaring at Naraku. "Pathetic. Didn't you hear me before? They betrayed me a long time ago. I have no sisters," she retorted.

Naraku's smile did not falter as he backhanded the challenging smile from her face.

Kagome's head snapped back from the force of the hit. Her lip, cut on her own teeth, dripped with blood, and her mind spun. "So they'd go as far as to sacrifice their village to lay ambush to us," Kagome said, almost to herself. "Where is Kaede?"

"That old miko?"

Naraku quieted for a second before cackling louder and louder.

"Those foolish monks and mikos thought I had hidden her 'safely' away." His laugh turned manic. "As if I, Naraku, would keep such a useless bag of bones alive?"

"Bastard!" Kagome shouted. Her heart constricted painfully at the thought of Kaede dying a lonely and obscure death. She tried to shut out his venomous words. If she dwelled on them too long, her strength would surely shatter.

Naraku just laughed louder.

"Where have you taken me?" Kagome continued more productively. She was determined to get some useful information from the creep.

"Do you like my castle? It has a lovely barrier around it so even your dog can't find it. You can't even feel your mating bond, am I right? But don't worry, we can't have your loverboy missing the main event. I'll gut you like a pig right in front of him, and complete the Shikon no Tama," he blithely explained.

"Is that the Shikon no Tama?" Kagome asked, nodding to the orb of light behind her. She pointedly ignored his threat on her life.

"Ah, yes. I see you've noticed my lovely creation," Naraku exulted. "Do you notice anything…familiar about it, _Kagome Higurashi_?"

Kagome strained her neck to eye the swirling orb. It was much harder to feel auras when her own was being so forcibly suppressed. However something _did _feel incredibly familiar. She slowly sifted through the varying energies. There were four different auras within the orb.

Suddenly, Kagome paled. Her eyes bulged as she craned her head back further. 'This is impossible. There is no way,' she screamed in her heart. But her mind was telling her differently. Kagome's lower lip was trembling as she nervously wet it. 'No, this can't be happening…'

"M-mama? Papa?" she tentatively whispered. Two of the auras contained in the orb were unmistakably the same as her long deceased parents'.

Naraku's grin almost split his face when he heard her broken utterance. "Midoriko and Shinsen Higurashi…" he chuckled darkly. "Imagine the glee I felt when I realized _you _were their daughter. I still remember them. They made quite an impression with their last stand. Those moronic villagers freely sacrificed their best fighters that day by handing them to me." Naraku's eyes glazed over in wicked delight as he recalled. "I could have sent all my demons at once, but it was sooo much more fun to see them struggle, and struggle until their human bodies fell to exhaustion. Ah…it was so sweet…so thrilling. I believe it was for you they tried so hard to survive," he purred.

Kagome's wide eyes dilated, and her mouth dried instantly. The shock, pain, and anger were balling into one thrumming heartbeat, roaring in her mind.

"Yes, Kagome. Their souls have been trapped here this whole time. Haha, but not for nearly as long as the oldest resident. Meet Inu no Taisho, your father-in-law," Naraku continued, pointing to a blue light. "Really, it's been much more entertaining ever since the newest acquisition, Ryuukotsusei. Even in death, that one is at the old dog's throat."

"You already know this don't you? Aramitama, kushimitama, and sakimitama. Aggression, wisdom, and love." Naraku petted the angrily swirling orb. "Ryuukotsusei, Inu no Taisho, and your parents. And now you're the last one: nigimitama, serenity,"he smoothly said. His crimson eyes glowed with gleeful malice, and his excited aura rippled his crinkly, oily black hair.

"You monster!" Kagome hissed. She couldn't believe her and Sesshomaru's past were so entangled with Naraku's treachery. All her questions, all her memories of that miserable time…It all clicked into place. How could one be so cruel? Monster…

"Monster? Me?" Naraku mocked incredulously. "Dear little Kagome, have you been blind all this time? You have tied yourself to the biggest monster of them all! Behold, I will open your eyes!" He then spewed forth a mist of miasma. The mist swirled until a haunting picture was revealed.

"Look at your _mate,_ Kagome. My saimyosho are everywhere, giving me sight. Watch how your lover slaughters countless lives even as we speak. He's been killing nonstop now for four hours. A true monster…"

In the mist, Kagome saw a lone figure standing in the middle of a lake, if it could still be called that. The water was completely dyed red, with unidentifiable chunks of flesh floating on the surface. In the midst of all the carnage, the figure in red continued to slice apart the continuous onslaught of low level demons with a lightning fast sword.

As the picture focused in, Kagome's eyes widened in horror. She had not recognized the figure initially as Sesshomaru because the top half of his body not submerged in water was entirely covered in blood. His hair, once a flowing silky platinum, was now hanging in matted clumps of grisly ashen red. His once pristine robes were tattered rags clinging to his skin in pinkish red streaks. His once ivory marble skin was marred with countless lacerations that melded with the bloody water into a grewsome collage. His once brilliant golden eyes were clouded and weeping a black tar. Still, Sesshomaru stood tall, looking like a god of death as he hacked apart his endless foes.

He let out a ferocious roar as a band of organized demons tried to entrap him. The band was obliterated by a shock of his youki alone. As their blood rained down, he howled a deafening claim of victory, baring his fully elongated fangs in all their glory, and daring any to fight him. The atrocious scene looked like a page out of hell, and even the mindless demons paused their attacks, petrified.

"…Truly the biggest monster of all," Naraku repeated. His crimson eyes took in the picture with an almost envious gaze. "Can you really say you love this fiend born from the pits of hell? Do you so willingly bed such a creature? If so, you have quite the fetish, miko," he drawled.

Tears were falling unbidden down Kagome's cheeks. "Sesshomaru," she murmured. He was filled with so much rage and anguish, standing there alone and ready to defy the world. Kagome wanted to run over and pull him into her arms. She wanted to tell him it was enough, that he had done enough.

Instead, Kagome tore her eyes from the horrendous images still playing in the mist. She glared at Naraku with utter revulsion. "He is NOTHING like you! Don't ever place him in the same category as  
>depraved freaks like you. Sesshomaru will defeat you," she declared with all the conviction of a time traveler.<p>

Naraku's jeering smile morphed into an enraged scowl. "Watch your mouth you bitch," he bellowed while slapping Kagome hard enough to shatter her cheek bone.

Kagome grunted in pain, but continued her verbal barrage. "I see what you really are, Naraku. You're just a weak-willed human who sold his soul to low level demons. You're a grotesque amalgam of inferior beings lower than any human or dem-"

_CRACK…CRACK…_

Her words were cut short as Naraku lashed at her with his tentacles.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" he lividly howled. Her front was covered with ugly miasmic whip marks by the time he stopped flogging her.

In the aftermath, Naraku was still panting hard from repressed fury. Other than that coarse sound, the room was eerily silent.

"Is that your goal? To become a real demon? Why? Why did you give up your humanity?" Kagome weakly croaked. She was still determined to milk him of the priceless information he carelessly divulged. 'I'm starting to sound like Sesshomaru,' her mind ruefully provided with detachment. Her body felt like it was on fire. Without her reiki, the burns from the miasma were slowly poisoning her. The pain was borderline unbearable. Cold sweat beaded her forehead. However, she fought off the desire to succumb to darkness.

An insane gleam entered his eyes. "Do you want to know? Neh, _Miko_? Neh?"

"Even better, I'll show you!" Naraku ripped Kagome's already torn clothes from her body in one fluid motion. His claws raked across her tender flesh heartlessly.

Kagome could only gape at him in stunned terror. She had not intended this uncontrollable transformation.

Naraku grabbed her breasts and twisted them punishingly. Kagome yelped in pain. "Self-righteous cunts like you. I'll fuck you up just like that bitch," he grunted harshly. He began slathering a sickening trail across her collarbone to her mating mark.

"No!" Kagome cried out. Her body couldn't move. Pinned to the wretched spell circle, she was completely vulnerable to Naraku's filthy advances.

"You know, they say demons can't stand having another infuse youki into their mating mark. Let's do an experiment. Tell me how it feels, Kagome," he panted feverishly. Then, Naraku sunk his fangs into her crescent moon, pumping as much youki into her as he could.

Kagome threw her head back and screamed. The tormented shriek echoed chillingly through the castle. The horrid sound was only broken as she took a breath, only to scream more. Her body convulsed as Sesshomaru's youki within her rose violently to attack the foreign youki. Her vessels burned. She could feel every single vessel, down to the microscopic capillaries. Kagome was going to go crazy from the excruciating torture.

Naraku finally released her throat, unable to stand the ear-splitting screech any longer. Kagome sobbed in agony.

"Delicious…your scent. That cloying sweetness covered in bitter fear." Naraku shoved his hard dick against Kagome's inner thigh. "Yes…more. Fear me more, hime. It makes me so stiff. Aren't you happy your beloved lord is taking you? I devoured him and donned his face just for you, hime. I'm no longer a simple bandit. I'm your lord, hime, and I'll take you over and over," Naraku drunkenly murmured. He was completely lost in his own world.

"No! I'm not your damned hime! Stop!" Kagome frantically cried. He was insane!

She needed to get him away from her, but her mind was completely seized by numbing fear and residual pain. Sesshomaru's stronger youki had thankfully incinerated the miasma and Naraku's vile youki. However, her body was still tingling in pain from the aftereffects. Regardless, the pain was vastly second to the impending violation.

What could she possibly say to distract him?

What could she do to delay him until Sesshomaru saved her?

Tears of frustration leaked out of her muddied blue orbs. Gods she was so weak. She shuddered in disgust as he grinded harder against her thigh, and then aligned his penis.

"I'm diseased!" she blatantly lied in her desperation. "I'm a miko you know, and I came in contact with something strange. So now the inside of my vagina is covered with pimples and warts. It's really disturbing you know, because sometimes they pop and pus oozes out," she rapidly babbled in a hysterical voice, describing in great detail the most repulsive skin diseases she'd encountered in her occupation.

Kagome mentally applauded her stroke of genius when Naraku literally stopped mid thrust. She continued her verbal defense with renewed fervor. Dammit, she'd talk about slothing skin, and popping boils all day if she had to. Sesshomaru will always be the only one allowed to touch her intimately.

Naraku growled and punched her in the stomach, effectively knocking the air out of her. He knew she was lying, but her exceedingly vivid depictions were deflating his active libido. However, he was undeterred.

As she coughed and gasped for breath, he took in the splendid view of her brutalized and bound body. He should learn the art of impaling, he fantasized. Her intoxicating scent curled around him. Naraku's penis was again heavy and throbbing. He melded a tentacle over her mouth just before she repeated her tactic.

"You are feisty. I like that," Naraku lasciviously hummed. He sunk his claws deep into Kagome's hips and positioned himself.

Panic and despair ran through Kagome like cold water. Her mind screamed for Sesshomaru, but there was no way he could have dispatched that horde of demons and found Naraku's castle in such a short time. Her reiki would not surface no matter how desperately she tried.

"I can't wait to see that dog's face when he sees your ravaged body, and scents my essence inside you," he purred. And thrust forward.

"_No!"_ she screamed into the tentacle.

Suddenly, her mouth was uncovered. Naraku's vulgar member never made it to Kagome's core.

Her eyes shot open, expecting to find the impossible, to find Sesshomaru. Her savior. Her mate.

Kagome immediately recognized the figure holding up Naraku by one hand, but her mouth fell open just the same.

"Akira!" she blurted out in disbelief.

Standing before her was the gentle, charming fox demon lord.


	33. Chapter 33

It was over six hours since the call when Inuyasha, Jura, Kagura, and a band of elite soldiers touched down in the Holy Village. Or what remained of it.

"Holy shit," Inuyasha muttered. His homicidal brother had definitely been there. Cleanly sliced bodies littered the ground amidst smoldering animal carcasses and blackened timbers. A huge cyclone of lesser demons circled the air like vultures just to the north of them.

"A 'house calling' was it?" Kagura blandly inquired about the massacre they were trekking through. If this was Lord Sesshomaru's idea of a house calling, then she was glad the Demon Rite had been performed on home territory.

"Lord Sesshomaru is not here," Jura announced, walking back into the forest toward the mass of demons. None of the troops answered her, for many of these hardened veterans had already witnessed Sesshomaru cut loose before. It was both magnificent and terrible.

"Keh! Let's move out," Inuyasha commanded, taking off at a top sprint. Kagura effortlessly pulled up beside the hanyou, gliding on her feather. She sat there as carefree as a flower awaiting the sunrise.

Inuyasha eyed her. She was serenely beautiful, and he felt calmer just looking at her. "This isn't a fucking picnic. Get your fan out. I'm not protecting your ass," he gruffly warned. Honestly, he was worried about taking her into battle. Kagura's hands had only recently finished regenerating. It was lucky she was reptilian and hence could do that much. Now, she was getting dragged into another fight.

The West was supposed to be her haven. From what he had gathered while taking care of her as she healed, life in the North was a constant struggle for power and survival. Kagura was the youngest, but strongest of her siblings. As a result, she was repeatedly abused by her spiteful elder siblings until she was old enough to defend herself. She was a survivor. Inuyasha could relate to her hardships of youth, having never been accepted until Sesshomaru beat him into shape and dubbed him beta.

On some instinctual level, he had recognized this and freed Kagura. Now, he wanted her to like the West. To be happy in the West. To choose the West. Inuyasha mentally cursed. He wanted her to choose _him,_ not the fucking West. Either way, he just didn't want her to suffer anymore. He wanted to give her the freedom she so passionately spoke of.

But she was still stubbornly clinging to the life debt she owed both Kagome and himself. She had probably volunteered herself for their little backup squad for this very reason, and Sesshomaru had readily agreed, knowing her skill. Sometimes Inuyasha felt like bashing his hard head against her even harder head. She should just do what she wanted.

"Who said I needed your protection? Mind your own fuzzy ears lest they be cut off," she casually threw back at him. Kagura could see right through his tough guy act to that giant, gooey soft heart of his. Seriously, she had never dealt with someone as wholesome as Inuyasha. He was so dementedly chivalrous when he'd served as her hands over the past month – shoving food down her throat every chance he got, tying her hair back in some amorphous jumble that would make Medusa thankful it wasn't her, guarding her so that no one dared to glance at her temporary deformity in fear of incurring his wrath. The guy was as awkwardly clumsy as he was sweet.

Despite his disasterous interventions, Kagura could completely relax with him. In a moment of weakness, she'd even divulged tidbits of her past, and her ultimate desire to soar free with the wind. And he hadn't laughed at her. He was so different from the people she normally came in contact, who ran more along Sesshomaru's ilk.

Embarrassingly, Kagura found herself enjoying his company, going so far as to tag along on crazy missions like this one. She didn't want to be left alone. How ironic for her to tether herself after spending her whole life trying to break free.

Yet whenever he fussed over her in a surly show of affection, she reveled in his warmth, soaking it up and then licking her lips for more. However, Inuyasha didn't need to know that.

Kagura shook herself from the totally inappropriate thoughts. She was riding into a typhoon of demons for godsake!

The group broke through the treeline, and all warm and fuzzy thoughts ended just as quickly, withering and dying in the face of carnage.

"Bloody hell," Inuyasha gaped. Kagura couldn't have said it better herself. The scene before them was truly a bloody hell. Entrails hung from the nearby trees, and everything was bleeding red.

"Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha brashly shouted, swinging Tetseiga over the demons above Sesshomaru. Jura and the rest jumped into action, cutting a path from the shore to the middle of the lake. The twenty or so troops formed a protective circle around Sesshomaru as Inuyasha and Kagura cleared the sky briefly.

"What the hell are you doing in the middle of a lake?" Inuyasha asked. The bloodbath he was splashing in was gross even for Inuyasha's taste, and the stench was making him dizzy. He tried not to look down at the slippery mess. But when he focused on Sesshomaru, he was more than a little disturbed by his brother's frightening appearance. Inuyasha couldn't tell if Sesshomaru was still sane. Afterall, he'd been fighting in this cesspool for half a day now.

Sesshomaru was panting from exertion, but had managed to reign in his bloodlust when he saw Inuyasha. About half an hour ago, his vision had recovered sufficiently to identify blurry figures. It wouldn't be long before it sharpened and became useful in battle. Hope bloomed in his chest.

He noticed Inuyasha warily angling his body to hide Kagura from his view. "Brother," he coarsely rumbled in an attempt to reassure the group. He was still rather primal, but fully sentient.

Inuyasha's amber eyes widened when Sesshomaru called him 'brother'. He rarely said it seriously. Inuyasha puffed out his chest and stepped forward. "Brother," he answered solemly. A silent moment of understanding passed between the two inu.

Nonetheless, time was of the essence. Sesshomaru chose to ignore Inuyasha's question for a more succinct explanation. "Naraku and the spiritual warriors of the Holy Village joined forces and ambushed This Sesshomaru. Kagome has been taken," he bit out. He had killed thousands of demons over the last few hours, but more demons continued to swarm around him, preventing him from reaching Kagome.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go after her. We'll take care of this junk," Inuyasha cheekily encouraged.

Sesshomaru didn't need further prompting. He nodded his thanks and disappeared into the woods.

Turning back to Jura, Inuyasha cockily challenged, "Bet I can take down more than you." Still locking eyes with Jura, he struck down a demon attempting to chase after Sesshomaru.

"Looks like I must defend my honor as general," Jura smirked. He punched a stragglely insect demon clear across the lake and into a tree.

Kagura rolled her eyes at the testosterone competition. Wordlessly, she swept away a dozen demons with a flick of her fan.

"You're gonna lose to a girl if you don't quit posturing," one of the brash soldiers called out.

Inuyasha saw Kagura dancing gracefully around the enemies. "Keh!" He jumped atop a flying centipede demon and launched another kaze no kizu attack. Ripping off the centipede's head, he hurled himself higher into the air until he could easily reach Kagura. Given how many times he had to change his footing in order to stay at her height, it was impressive he could still cover her back.

Glancing over, Kagura colored act the protective display. 'Liar. And you said you wouldn't protect me.' Kagura caught herself before she could grin dumbly at the idiot. "Come onto the feather. You're distracting me, jumping around like a monkey," she gruffly said.

Inuyasha blushed bright red at having been noticed. "Keh, you're the one flying around like a chicken with its head cut off," he retorted, but settled on the feather just the same.

"Clearly, puppy," Kagura dryly added.

"I'm not a puppy! Inu! At least call me an inu," he growled.

Kagura smirked. "Whatever you say, Yasha."

Inuyasha didn't know whether to scowl or blush at the inadvertent pet name. And so, he settled on a string of curses instead.

The wind sorceress laughed. It was strange hearing the lighthearted sound coming from her own mouth. However, she couldn't have cared less at the time.

Inuyasha looked over at the openly smiling demoness. Maybe 'Yasha' wasn't such a bad name afterall…

Back on the ground, the troops were getting a nice shower of guts thanks to the rampaging duo above. The pair worked like a well oiled machine, hacking apart any who neared.

It was probably the thirtieth time Jura had to dodge a huge body dropping from above. "Damn show offs," he grumbled under his breath. Still, he had to grin at the first lady friend besides Lady Kagome to pay any attention to the deserving hanyou.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru raced through the forest fast enough to shed the bloody water from his body. After ten minutes, the only fluid dripping from him was his own blood. His wounds were extensive, but none had hit a vital spot. Thus, Sesshomaru didn't even bother to channel his youki and accelerate his healing. He was saving all his youki to pulverize the vermin who stole his mate. He'd evicerate Naraku, bring him back to life, and then slay him again. Whatever wound he inflicted on Kagome would be returned to him a hundred fold.

Sesshomaru clenched his jaw. The idea of his Kagome being harmed at all did not sit well with him. He pushed his straining muscles harder. Naraku already had her in his clutches for nearly seven hours now. The thought roiled his stomach. Sesshomaru tried to suppress the crippling panic skittering down his spine. He wanted to go faster, but he was still having difficulty gauging depth.

Sesshomaru grimaced in frustration as he sped along Naraku's trail. It was strange of him to leave such an obvious one. Naraku had practically leaked miasma so even his dull senses could follow. Sesshomaru was positive he was running into a trap. However, it was already too late for caution.

Five minutes later, Sesshomaru was forced to slow down to a walk. Dense fog coated the forest and sky. Once again, his eyes were made useless. His nose was still as dead as ever, and the ringing in his ears had only mildly dampened. He slowly picked through obstacles with his deplorable 3-feet radius of aural detection.

Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet softened. Sesshomaru jumped back, only to land in even softer soil. The bog quickly sunk Sesshomaru within its muddy cage until he was knee deep. And then it stopped.

The fog in front of him cleared.

Kagome walked into the clearing, looking lost, but none worse for wear.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru called, unable to hide his relief. He lurched forward, but couldn't budge his trapped legs. Sesshomaru began furiously digging at the mudd around his legs, not caring how dirty or futile it was.

However, something was wrong. Kagome hadn't heard him. He opened his mouth to call her again. But then Kagome stopped and looked in his direction.

"Sesshomaru!" she shouted, and ran over to him. Only it wasn't him she ran over to. No. Laying right in front of where Sesshomaru was rooted, he saw another him, collapsed on the ground with half his body sunk in a bog.

The real Sesshomaru watched with escalating dread as his doppelganger woke up and grabbed Kagome.

"Kagome. I'm so glad you're well," it said, holding her tightly. Kagome hugged it back. They kissed, long and slow, as Sesshomaru would have wanted.

When they finally broke apart, Kagome gave a brilliant smile. Gods how he had missed that smile. "Let's get you out of there," she said to the double. She began dragging it out of the mud. Unlike Sesshomaru's stuck body, the doppelganger slowly lifted from the mud.

Waist…rear…thighs…

Sesshomaru's eyes widened at the same time Kagome shrieked and dropped the fake.

There was nothing after the thighs. Both of its legs had been truncated at mid thigh.

The mutilated doppelganger moaned from the impact, but managed to roll its bloody stumps beneath it and sat up. Kagome's eyes bulged in horror as she stared at the hideously deformed double.

"Kagome," it sadly called. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you. I was injured while rescuing you. And now…" It touched what remained of its thigh. It looked up at Kagome with tortured eyes.

Kagome sat there trembling and shaking her head, unable to take her eyes off of its deformity. It reached for her again. "NO!" Kagome screamed, slapping its hand away. She began pedaling backward, away from the ruined doppelganger.

"Do you not love me anymore?" it brokenly asked.

Kagome just kept shaking her head and huddling herself against a tree far across from the double. "Such a thing…I can't…I can't…" she repeatedly mumbled. Unable to stand it anymore, she shot up and fled the clearing.

Sesshomaru doused the doppelganger with dokkasou, melting it into a pile of nothing. His chest heaved with every ragged breath he took. 'That's not her! That's not Kagome!' his mind screamed. She would never abandon him, even if he was crippled like that fake. She can't.

All of this was an illusion. They were toying with him, he tried to convince himself. But gods she looked so real, kneeling beside the double, so close to himself. Even if she was a figment, her words and actions cut deeper than any sword. Sesshomaru struggled to reclaim his composure.

Before his breathing could regulate, another scene appeared within the mist. Kagome was running, fleeng from the cripple. Without looking, she ran straight into Naraku. She fell to the ground, sobbing. Recognition dawned in her weeping eyes, but she still did not move from her spot. Instead, she allowed Naraku to stroke her cheek and pick her up. She gripped his arm and cuddled closer into his comfort. He carried her away, ruby eyes gleaming diabolically.

Suddenly, they were no longer in a forest, but a dungeon. Kagome was now naked and shackled, crawling on the ground to get away from Naraku. Her long chains scraped against the cold stone floor. Sesshomaru shuddered at the sound as images of another dungeon flashed across his mind.

He watched helplessly as Naraku dragged her back and raped her over and over until she stopped crying. He watched as her face slowly morphed from fear to pleasure. By the end, the only thing he could hear was Kagome's voice begging Naraku for more. The images, the sounds…He couldn't block it out. They were inside his head.

Sesshomaru knew it was an illusion. He knew, but he couldn't stand it all the same.

"BYAKUYAAA!" Sesshomaru boomed. His youki exploded outward in a huge crimson ball that scorched the surrounding forest. When the blast died down, Sesshomaru was standing on solid ground with a looming castle in front of him.

Inside Naraku's Castle

Kagome had no clue where Akira had come from, how he was here, or for what purpose. All she knew was the unadultered relief, bordering on pure joy to see him there. He had saved her from an unspeakable fate at Naraku's hands.

"Vermin! She was not to be harmed," Akira scathingly growled at Naraku, who was captured in his claws. Naraku burst into flames of green fox fire before he had a chance to respond. An awful death wail escaped his throat as he writhed, regenerating and disintegrating simultaneously.

Kagome watched the grotesque scene in stunned silence.

Akira finally flared his youki, and the fox fire overcame Naraku's regenerative capabilities. The fox demon lord released his crumbling body when the hair-raising screams died down. Akira watched the last of Naraku's remnants turn to ash with coldness rivaling that of Sesshomaru's iciest glares.

Then, he turned to Kagome.

Her heart fluttered like a hummingbird's wings, and she shook uncontrollably. She was still in shock from Naraku's assault. Kagome stared dumbly at Akira, and then at the smudge that used to be Naraku. For the life of her, she couldn't comprehend what was happening. Naraku died. Akira killed him. Akira knew Naraku. Akira…? She couldn't think. Her mind and body were completely numb.

"Kagome, are you alright?" he quickly surveyed her injuries. Her cheek was swollen, and her lower lip was cut. There were deep claw marks on her hips, and a fang bite that was still weeping. Her entire front was covered in welts, but Naraku's tentacles were too thick to break skin. Surprisingly, he found no miasma burns.

Overall, the injuries were all designed to elicit the greatest amount of pain with the least amount of physical incapacitation. Akira took off his cloak and gallantly tied it over Kagome's body. He then moved to hug her.

Kagome visibly flinched away.

Akira gazed at her, hurt, but didn't try to touch her again. "I'm sorry Kagome. I was seeing to security measures and had not anticipated him to disobey me. Your stay here was not meant to be so unpleasant," he sadly explained.

"W-What are you talking about, Akira?" she hoarsely asked. She squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them, trying to snap her mind back into place. This whole conversation with the fox seemed surreal. "You were ordering Naraku?"

"Shhh," he crooned, grazing her lips with his fingers. Kagome almost jumped out of her skin at the unwanted contact. He ignored the reaction and continued to rub her dry and cracked lips. "It'll all be over soon, Kagome. I'd never make you suffer. I'll take you away from that bastard and punish him for what he's done. Then, you'll be my queen. My Sumiko," he gently told her. His voice and facial expression were so loving and soft, so incongruous with his words.

"What's gotten into you? I'm KAGOME! Not Sumiko," she fiercely retorted. Kagome was starting to see it – the twisted sense he was making. And she didn't like it at all. The hope inside her was disintegrating faster than Naraku's body had. "It was you. YOU controlled Naraku!"

Akira smiled sympathetically at her, as if she was pitifully daft and needed help putting on her clothes. "Controlled?" He shook his head. "I MADE Naraku."

Kagome inhaled sharply. If he 'made' Naraku, then everything, everything he did… "You planned that near collision with the North. You commissioned the reiki weapons. You- oh gods, did you also kill my parents? Sesshomaru's father?" Kagome's head was spinning.

She was having trouble assimilating the friendly, playful Akira with the one standing in front of her.

Or was she?

Kagome thought back: his ardent pursuit of her in the beginning; the unsettling feeling he brought that had nothing to do with his stunning physique; the particular attention he paid her and her abilities. No matter how friendly they were with each other, wasn't there always some part of herself she held back? Why did they never talk about anything serious? Was it only because of his status as a competing lord? "You were supposed to be my friend, Akira, even if just lightly."

"Why, I am your friend. You were so different from what I expected of the last nigimitama. A calming aura best suits a gentle woman. I was expecting someone as refined as Izayoi, Inu no Taisho's woman. Alas, I stood corrected. Your fire. It was just like Sumiko's. I even considered altering all my centuries of planning to mate you. Afterall, I did not require the jewel to destroy Sesshomaru. But you were already corrupted by that fiendish dog," he ruefully recounted. "I am so loyal a friend that I would save you from sure destruction. How can you doubt my good will?"

"But I love him! Sesshomaru is not evil," Kagome yelled back. He wasn't making any sense! His ideals and morals were unrecognizably twisted.

He gave her another pitying smile. "Love can be blind. You can't see his black heart. Sumiko could. Sumiko saw through everything. It is good I did not choose you. In the end, you are just a defective copy of the true Sumiko. Once I complete the Shikon no Tama, I'll call back my Sumiko." He cupped Kagome's cheek tenderly. "Then we'll be together forever." Akira gazed adoringly at her, but his crystalline green eyes only saw a specter of the past.

Kagome shivered.

This wasn't like the mad ravings of that lunatic Naraku. No. Akira's calm and calculating insanity ran much deeper. It was a fundamental defect that was infinitely more disturbing. She could tell. He created Naraku because he _needed_ his humanity. Akira, while a tactical genius, did not understand emotions. He did not understand the very devastation he wanted to deliver. He only knew obsession. All the expressions of affection he emulated so perfectly were wrought from pure observation. In actuality, life was like a _game _to him. He knew no remorse.

Kagome was terrified. She didn't want to hear anymore. She didn't care about his motives. She didn't want to know what spawned from that gaping emptiness he called a soul. Kagome just wanted to get away from him. Far, far away. 'Sesshomaru!' she desperately sought with her essence.

Tears streamed down her face. Kagome's strength was finally breaking.

Akira ladled a cup of the bubbling brew next to Kagome. "Drink this, it'll make you feel better," he offered so comfortingly. The brew in fact facilitated the dissociation between the soul and physical body. He was going to extract her soul.

Kagome turned away from his kindly smiling face. "No!" she sobbed out.

Akira pouted. "Come on now. Aren't you happy to become mine? You looked happy to become that dog's. And I'm much better. You should be estatic now," he smoothly coaxed. Then, he grabbed her jaw in an iron grip and forced her mouth open. Electric pain jolted across her skull from her shattered cheekbone.

Her scream became a choked gurgle as he fed her the ominous concoction.


	34. Chapter 34

An hour later

_BOOM! _The barrier broke.

A weary Sesshomaru stepped through the threshold to the dark room Kagome was kept in. His eyes immediately landed on her. Yet he hesitated.

Since entering the labyrinthine castle, he'd encountered room after room with a similar setup. The room would be surrounded by a barrier, requiring a significant expenditure of youki to breech. Within, he'd find an illusion of an unconscious and badly beaten Kagome. It was grueling, both physically and mentally.

However, this time a spark of hope flared to life. The room was much larger than the prior fourteen.

Sesshomaru slowly walked forward. 40 feet…20 feet…10 feet…

The characteristic weave of magic indicating an illusion was missing! This was it. 'At last,' he mentally sighed.

Quickly, he tried to approach Kagome, only to be thwarted by a wall of green fox fire. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in irritation. Dokkasou oozed from his claws as he prepared to extinguish the last damned obstacle.

A black hole appeared discreetly above Sesshomaru's head. Just as Sesshomaru lifted his hand, a glinting katana flew out of the hole and plunged straight toward his skull. He swept out of the way, narrowly avoiding getting split by pure instinct.

"Why Sesshomaru, you are early," Akira admonished, dropping through the black portal in the ceiling. "Such brute strength. It seems I must further research my magic barriers. They barely slowed you down."

"Akira, what is the meaning of this? Where is Naraku?" Sesshomaru dangerously rumbled, cracking his fingers. He was sick and tired of all the trickery and mind games.

"Dead. He has already accomplished his purpose," Akira waved off. He was rather miffed the dog was more focused on his minion than himself. Honestly, these people were so simple.

"Traitor," Sesshomaru easily concluded. It explained the pervasive fox magic employed. While seeing Akira here was disorienting, Sesshomaru was not surprised to find a cardinal lord behind all the deception. He had long prepared himself for such betrayal. It was only natural for neighboring powers to vie for dominance. And true alliances were rarely forged between neighbors of comparable fortitude. They simply kept each other in check.

However, it was regrettable to see an alliance maintained over generations fall during his reign. 'What triggered it?' He was missing something vital. There was something personal involved. Kagome? No. She was being displayed like a sacrifice, not a trophy. She was the bait to lure him out of his stronghold, and she had unknowingly done it of her own free will. The fox was too clever. Now, she was a means to an end – to the Shikon no Tama. For what purpose? What grudge did the East bear against the West?

"Come now, Sesshomaru. We all know you are not that naïve. To be a traitor, one must give their loyalty to begin with," Akira matter-of-factly offered.

The niggling in the back of Sesshomaru's head grew stronger. The pieces of the puzzle were there. He just had to fit them together. He was so close, but everytime he was on the cusp of a breakthrough, his memories scattered. "What do you seek?" he interrogated Akira, already knowing he wouldn't give a real answer.

Akira's mirthless emerald eyes hooded, distorting his normally genteel and princely smile into that of cruelty. "I have everything I seek right here," he deliberately spoke, waving a hand at Kagome.

The two demon lords were equidistance away from Kagome, facing off. Sesshomaru held Akira's gaze, resisting the urge to follow his hand and assess Kagome's condition. He would not make the amateurish mistake of taking his eyes off the enemy.

"She was so cute, resisting to the bitter end. Resisting even now as her soul gets inevitably ripped from her body. I love people like her. Just like my Sumiko," Akira delighted.

"Sumiko," Sesshomaru absently echoed. Oh gods. Sumiko, the Seer. Sumiko, the Lady of the East. Sumiko, Akira's mate. Sumiko, the failed assassin. Sumiko, the demoness executed by his father's own hands. He felt like he'd just been punched through in the gut as the last piece clicked into place, revealing the nauseatingly perfect picture to his unwilling eyes. It was his curse – the prophecy that had condemned him since birth.

Sesshomaru's terrified eyes locked onto Kagome's catatonic form. Her face was blank, and her eyes, though open, were glazed over. A thin white whisp, which Sesshomaru identified as her soul, trailed behind her to a mysterious apparatus. Her soul was getting sucked into the Shikon no Tama.

"You remember my Sumiko?" Akira lightheartedly continued. "She went insane after seeing your black future. I was always curious of what horrors she had seen. But it doesn't matter now. Your destruction at the pinnacle of your existence will be my crowning achievement and a gift to Sumiko when she returns to me. Isn't it romantic, fulling her greatest desire? I can't wait to see her seagreen eyes light up."

His brow then furrowed together as if in deep thought. "…Or will they be blue? I am quite eager to see what transformation Kagome's body will undergo once Sumiko's soul is implanted. So many possibilities…"

Sesshomaru zoomed forward and swung his blade with enough force to obliterate a stone column. However, his perception was still warped by the drugging.

Akira parried the sudden attack and agily slipped into the wall of fox fire near Kagome. He smiled pleasantly out from his protective circle. "Did that upset you, Sesshomaru? I'm terribly sorry," he said, almost apologetically.

"To seek such a pitiful bauble, you disappoint This Sesshomaru," he said in a bored, yet impossibly arrogant voice. "You squandered a tactical mind comparable to this one's on cowardly tricks and rubbish."

Akira's chivalrous visage turned murderous. "Rubbish?" He scornfully scanned Sesshomaru. The stoic demon lord was an utter mess. He was clothed in tatters and dyed in blood. Although his numerous wounds were closed, he had already depleted his youki from staving off an army and breaking through multiple barriers and illusions. The mokomoko was completely limp and ragged, signifying his lack of reserve. Based on the hairsbreadth imprecision of his last attack, his senses were still severely impaired. Sesshomaru was in no condition to fight, let alone win. He was a strength based fighter without strength.

Akira burst out into laughter. "Ah, and this mere _rubbish _has utterly defeated you. You are too late to save your most important possession, falling instead at the hands of a 'weakling' fox. At least your father saved his little human before dying."

Faster than the human eye could follow, Akira charged forward, unsheathing his twin curved blades and swiping at Sesshomaru in quick succession. Sesshomaru pedaled backward, avoiding the gleaming metal with the barest movement.

As he neared the wall, he blocked one of the swords and flipped over Akira to avoid the other one coming from the opposite direction.

Akira immediately changed directions, twirling his blades around him. Sesshomaru matched his motion, keeping them back to back. He then plunged his blade behind him.

Akira jumped straight up and twisted to face Sesshomaru's back, landing gracefully atop the sword intended to pierce his kidney. He brought down both swords over Sesshomaru's head.

Sesshomaru, who was holding his sword in a reverse grip, pulled out from his plunge and swung upward to block. Simultaneously, he arched backward to visualize the fox demon bearing down on him from above. The impact from the twin blades on bakuseiga cracked the floor beneath Sesshomaru, sinking him into a crater.

Normally Sesshomaru would have pushed Akira off of him with his superior strength. However, in his current condition, the lightweight fox was actually pushing him down. Sesshomaru harnessed his poison whip in his left hand and forced Akira to disengage.

Akira lithely somersaulted into a crouch righ t next to the dog demon and crossed his blades, intent on taking off his legs. Sesshomaru stepped over the attack onto Akira's back while flipping his sword back into the correct grip. Once again at Akira's back, he slashed at the prostrated fox.

In a blurr of glittering blonde hair, he drove forward in his lowered position and vaulted up the wall in an impressive display of agility. Sesshomaru's sword hit empty ground. Using the wall as leverage, Akira sprung directly at Sesshomaru while twisting his body in circles. His swords spun like a drill aimed at the dog demon's heart.

Sesshomaru barely had time to roll out of the way. The drill-like blades took a serrated chunk of Sesshomaru's hair that was still floating in their path.

The two demon lords stopped and cooly glared at each other from opposite ends of the room. Both tried to gauge the other's weaknesses from flawless techniques.

Sesshomaru, while uninjured from the engagement besides his butchered hair, knew he was losing. He had taxed his postural control to the limit to compensate for his imperfect balance. As a result, he didn't have the physical reserve, or the youki to increase his speed much further. Against an agility type fighter like Akira, who could match his pace at his peak, Sesshomaru would ultimately lose. He also lacked the strength, which he normally had in excess, to offset the difference. Sesshomaru grimly clenched his sword, rapidly searching his mind for viable strategies.

Akira was also regarding his opponent with fierce intensity. Sesshomaru had surprised him with his ability. Based on his initial assessment, the dog demon physically should not have been capable of performing to the level he did. While his strength was significantly reduced, Sesshomaru had kept up beautifully. Akira was fairly certain he'd still win in the end, but he was cautious by nature. He wanted a _guarantee_. All of his meticulous planning and impeccable execution should have culminated in the perfect victory.

"Do you feel her fading?" Akira provoked. "It won't be long now before she dies and the Shikon no Tama completes."

Sesshomaru tried to ignore the goading. He could feel her struggling valiantly against the spell. His Kagome was doing well holding on. The miniscule trickle of her life energy into the jewel was proof of her monumental efforts. Sesshomaru's chest swelled with pride at the thought. However, even he knew she was approaching her limit. Sweat was clearly beaded on her forehead, and her normally sun kissed skin was sickly pale. Sesshomaru needed to end this fight quickly. He would save his beloved.

This time Sesshomaru initiated the next round. They were once again a blurr of shock waves zooming through the cracking room – a pair of deadly dancers.

"You are so conceited and quick to judge. But tell me you would not seek the same when your precious miko dies. What will you do, hnn? Would that 'bauble' you scorn now be so distasteful then?" Akira taunted as they battled.

Sesshomaru faltered for a split second.

Akira thrust forward and pierced mokomoko before he could recover.

Sesshomaru spasmed when lightening bolts of pain shot up his spine. However, he managed to clamp his mouth shut. He would not give Akira the pleasure of hearing him scream in agony. "Do not compare This Sesshomaru to the likes of you," he growled instead. Sesshomaru redoubled his efforts, driven by the morbid thoughts. Deep seated fear unfurled its poisonous tentacles within him, and with it, his sword thrashed at Akira faster and faster.

Sparks flew as metal scrapped against metal. Their arms blurred still faster, neither backing down, until twin blades spiraled out of Akira's hands in opposite directions.

Akira released his true form as soon as he was disarmed, pushing Sesshomaru back with the swirl of his youki. _"Oh really? Let's test that theory, shall we?"_ Akira rumbled in demon tongue, completely unfazed.

The giant golden nine-tailed fox feigned an attack on Sesshomaru by launching a weak fireball from his mouth. However, Akira's true target was Kagome. His fiery tails hardened into steel cords and shot toward the helpless miko.

Sesshomaru realized this with mounting horror as he dodged the fireball. He was to the right, and slightly farther from Kagome than Akira. Time slowed down as overwhelming panic flooded his system. The pounding of his blood roared in his ears, and his mind blanked. In a blinding surge of unprecedented speed, Sesshomaru rushed in front of Kagome.

Seven blazing tails impaled Sesshomaru with a sickening squelch even as bakuseiga cut off the remaining two. Sesshomaru expunged a lung full of blood. Three of the tails had run through his torso, one of which was dangerously close to his heart. Another three had skewered his legs, one in each thigh and a third through his right calf. The final tail had rammed through his left bicep.

"NOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!" A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the room.

It took awhile for Sesshomaru to register that the horrible wail had come from Kagome.

Kagome had been watching the entire confrontation between Sesshomaru and Akira. She had fought desperately against the spell trying to steal her soul ever since Akira had poured the vile brew down her throat. When Sesshomaru had smashed through the barrier and walked into the room, hope had flared in Kagome. Sesshomaru had come for her, and she'd be damned if some godforsaken spell circle and nasty potion defeated her before she could reunite with him. Resolve hardened, she had dared not call out in fear of losing her concentration.

Nevertheless, her glassy eyes had taken in all. The fight…the escalating dread…everything. Something finally snapped in Kagome when she helplessly watched her mate get skewered to death. The connection to the partially complete jewel had broken, and Kagome's eyes cleared. Except, Sesshomaru was not dead.

Staggering, Sesshomaru spun his sword and cut off the tails through his torso and legs before Akira could tear him apart. The sword missed the one through his extended left arm. Akira retracted the tail, ripping Sesshomaru's left arm away with it. Blood spurt from his severed shoulder as his appendage twirled away like a flaming baton. Sesshomaru wavered one step, but remained upright. His head bowed over a completely still body.

"Hahahahaa, die Sesshomaru! Die, knowing I, Akira, will take everything from you," Akira roared in triumph. His enchantingly swaying tails were short some fur, but otherwise undamaged.

Slowly, Sesshomaru's eerily still body reanimated. One by one, he pulled out the spears impaled in his legs, but left the ones in his torso untouched. Globs of blood splat to the ground. Tendrils of youki twisted around his mutilated body in a beautifully sinister dance. His eyes flashed open, revealing burning red coals set within a darkened face. "Weak. You were too weak. But I will protect what is mine," came his gravelly baritone.

Shadowed within the fires of his own youki, with corded stakes protruding from odd angles and rivers of red running down his body, Sesshomaru cracked a crazed smile. A monster.

"Tenatious to the very end. I loathe people like you," Akira monotonously commented, contradicting an almost identical statement previously. He took in Sesshomaru's disturbing visage with abnormal calmness.

Kagome shivered violently as she watched the two hair-raising monsters face off. 'They are not normal,' she felt this fact settle deep within her chilled bones. For the first time since their initial meeting, Kagome was truly scared of Sesshomaru.

Fanning his tails, Akira sent a molten wave crashing into Sesshomaru. He disappeared in a sea of intense green flames.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome cried out. Her heart had lept at the sight of Sesshomaru getting engulfed in the inferno, effectively pushing the petrified lump out of her throat. She was scared, terrified, of what Sesshomaru had become in order to save her, but she was incontestably more frightened of seeing his lifeless body and vacant eyes.

As the spray settled, a burning Sesshomaru slowly walked through the fiery wastelands. Green flames licked away his remaining clothes, and haloed his hair. However, his eyes continued to burn darker than hell itself.

Akira took an involuntary step back. "Monster," he murmured. Akira launched fireball after fireball at the demon lord, but they appeared to get consumed within Sesshomaru's dancing youki. Akira pounced, slamming his massive paw onto him.

Sesshomaru blew away his paw in a shining column of youki. He darted forward through where Akira's paw used to be, and cleanly cleaved his chest with bakuseiga before Akira could react.

"Impossible," the fox snarled and fell to the ground. His youki was frantically trying to counteract the corrosive effects of bakuseiga. Akira transformed back into his humanoid form. His torso was flayed open, revealing his still beating heart and glistening vicera.

"W-hy?" Akira choked out. He had lived his life for the moment when he conquered the only being worthy of being his rival. From smuggling the dragon kidnappers into the West during the Great War, to staging Inu no Taisho's death ambush, he had planned everything. He could have killed Sesshomaru anytime during his climb to power. But he had wanted to thoroughly defeat him after he'd gained everything he desired. Akira wanted him to suffer.

And yet, why was he the one crumpled to the ground in ignominy? When did the inuyoukai gain such power? The monster's flesh was practically melting off his smoking body, and yet he was standing menacingly over him like a force of nature even the gods themselves would not be able to strike down. When did he become so strong?

Akira's eyes wandered to the frail miko behind Sesshomaru. Her body was broken, and her spirit was ferociously battling to keep her unanchored soul from escaping. Yet her crystal blue eyes did not reflect a speck of concern for herself. They just kept bleeding for her battered mate. This was their unbreakable bond – the source of Sesshomaru's endless power. Was that why he lost?

He could no longer remember the feel of his bond to Sumiko. He could no longer remember her voice. He jerkily stretched out his trembling hand, reaching for something not within this realm. What had he been trying to achieve? His body was steadily crumbling to dust. Tears leaked from his deep emerald orbs for the first time in his life. A gust of wind swept through the ruined room, blowing away the last remnants of Akira.

Sesshomaru turned to drag his body back to Kagome. The spell circle had disappeared as soon as Akira died, leaving Kagome collapsed on the ground. However, the power that had raged through him evaporated like it had never been there. Sesshomaru watched with detached interest as the world tilted and the floor raced to meet his face.

Kagome watched Sesshomaru plummet face first into the ground and remain there. 'Sesshomaru.' She lifted onto trembling knees and crawled towards him. While her body was relatively undamaged, the soul separation potion was still in effect. There was no longer a spell actively trying to pull her soul out, but it still took all her concentration to crawl without leaving a whispy trail behind.

"Sesshomaru," she worriedly called. He had not moved at all since falling, and the spears had pushed completely through to his back from the impact. He would die if they weren't removed, but he would die even faster if she took them out now without a means to staunch the blood flow.

Languid gold eyes opened half way at the sound of her voice. "Are you hurt?" his question came out as a wet wheeze. Sesshomaru tried to move his head to assess her injuries, but his numb body refused to obey. He couldn't sense anything. It was like trying to taste without olfaction. He vaguely wondered if she had been violated like all the horrid images he'd been shown. From his prone position, he noticed she was naked underneath that unfamiliar cloak. Sesshomaru's mouth twitched to ask her.

Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes. He was back to normal. She gave a laughing sob. "How can you ask that when _you_ look like ground beef?" More tears slipped down her face. "Don't talk. I'll be fine. Don't talk." Her hands ghosted over his body, unsure where to begin. Finally, she settled on the severed left limb that was still bleeding out like a gutted pig.

"Didn't I tell you we had to stop meeting like this?" Kagome jokingly admonished as she tried to rip a strip from her cloak. She grunted with exertion, but the finely woven fibers would not tear. Giving up that method, she carefully lifted Sesshomaru's clawed hand and used it to cut the cloak. Kagome's heart clenched painfully. Even as a bloody lump, he could do more than her.

"You're ridiculous you know that? Always charging in like an idiot and getting yourself beat up. Males, always acting so macho. Well guess what, I don't like seeing you sporting more holes than swiss cheese," Kagome chattered away, trying to ease her own frayed nerves. She tied the strip of cloak tightly around Sesshomaru's gory stump.

Sesshomaru quietly listened to her rambling monologue, hearing her soothing voice more so than her illogical renditions of his various rescue attempts. He'd let her insults slide, just this once.

Kagome then fell silent. She delved deep into her center, trying to grasp hold of her reiki and yank it out to the surface. The potion suppressing her reiki had mostly run its course, but it was difficult accessing an energy originating from her soul when said soul was only loosely tethered to herself. Nevertheless, she had to heal Sessshomaru. He wouldn't survive the trip back to the West.

'There!' She felt her soul catch, and reiki flooded her hand. Kagome leaned down to Sesshomaru's head. "Listen carefully, Mate, because I'll never forgive you if you forget," she whispered into his ear. Sesshomaru's half-lidded eyes shifted to look at her.

"I don't need a man that will die for me, I need a man that will live for me," she steadily said, boring her eyes into him.

Sesshomaru regarded his mate for a brief moment before replying, "This Sess-maru und-stands there is n-no glo-ory in death."

He was gurgling, drowning in his own blood. Kagome kissed him softly on the lips. "Then don't die on  
>me," she grimly said, and pulled out one of the spears impaled in Sesshomaru's chest.<p>

Blood shot out of his body like a fountain, and Sesshomaru's eyes widened into white disks of misery. Kagome slammed her glowing hand down over the gushing fist-sized hole and healed it from the inside out as fast as her trickle of reiki allowed. She then repeated the procedure until all three gaping wounds had reknit the most vital areas. They were still deep, with no bone or skin covering it, but the organs were sealed shut.

Sesshomaru had passed out during the process, but he was still breathing.

Kagome gave a small smile before joining Sesshomaru, slumping atop him as if to embrace.


	35. Chapter 35

*Author Note: Thanks for reviewing guys! Lol and I guess I will stop cutting out lemon scenes as per some of your reviews. Also, sorry if you couldn't find the link for the cut scenes. I didn't realize this site automatically cuts out anything that looks like a link…so here it is with spaces after every period – delete the spaces after you paste in the link and it should work this time? www. dokuga. com/fanfiction/story/6261/1*

"Dammit Jura, get him under control!" Inuyasha barked above the unnatural chaos.

It had been a day since the backup crew joined the battle, and they had soundly won. The lesser demons had all either fled or been dispatched. Naraku was a smear of charcoal, and no one from the West had died. However, all hell broke loose as soon as they had arrived at the destroyed room at the top of Naraku's castle.

They found the couple, unconscious but alive.

But they had not been prepared to find the incomplete "Shikon no Tama".

The jewel numbed the mind with whispers of unimaginable bliss, delving deep into people's psyche and catering to their heart's desires. Hidden beneath the false promises, its warped energies demanded balance by sacrifice of the miko's soul. The pull was virtually a physical thing, enticing all but the strongest to do its bidding. The weaker members of the team quickly succumbed to the call, and it was all Inuyasha, Jura, and Kagura could do to subdue them.

"What a dangerous artifact," Jura muttered as he tied the last of his own soldiers up.

Inuyasha snorted in agreement. "We can't just leave it here, we gotta take it back with us. Who wants to carry it?"

Kagura and Jura glanced at each other briefly before staring at him in unspoken agreement.

"Aw shit…give the hanyou the dirty work," Inuyasha grumbled while expanding his youki to contain the jewel. As soon as he grabbed the large, turbulent orb of contained souls, the pull from it dropped drastically and Jura breathed a sigh of relief.

However, the reprieve was short-lived. Inuyasha had fallen silent and was now gravitating towards the collapsed miko.

"Inuyasha?" Kagura warily questioned, moving forward to stop him.

The hanyou paused. A shiver ran through his body before he grappled back control. "I'm fine. Get the others ready," he tightly voiced.

Jura immediately hailed the flying tanuki waiting to transport them back.

Inuyasha continued to Kagome and picked her up. "Let's go." He was not immune to the effects, as evidenced by his unrelenting hold on Kagome as they sailed on the back of a flying tanuki to the citadel.

As they flew in the sky, the knocked out team members slowly regained themselves. Inuyasha was effectively muting the jewel's power, but no one uttered a word of triumph. It was downright eerie to see the normally boisterous hanyou completely quiet and stilled in deep concentration.

The oppressive tension was only worsened by the sight of their lord's crippled form. A warrior losing a limb was as good as a death sentence in this day and age. The West would once again be thrown into turmoil. Anyone with a speckle of power would be vying to challenge Lord Sesshomaru's position now that he was defective. And if that didn't work… Jura glanced over at Kagome's prone body, with thinning lips. She would be the key to a revolution. The future of the West looked bleak.

Lord Sesshomaru's condition wasn't even the end of it. The East was now leaderless at the claws of the West. The Demon Council would be breathing down his neck for decades to come, no matter how justified his actions were. In the meantime, chaos would ensue while a new demon tribe took control of the East. It would be difficult as few were comparable to Lord Akira in either power or charisma.

Jura was brought back from his grim musings when they landed at the citadel.

The Lady of the West had been jostled awake as Inuyasha jumped from the back of the tanuki. She suddenly let out a blood curdling shriek and practically flew out of Inuyasha's arms in her haste to avoid him. Everyone froze at her bewildering reaction to the hanyou's touch.

Yet, was it really so surprising? She reeked of Naraku. Given her scent and behavior, everyone inevitably concluded the worst. Some of the members turned away from the scene cursing.

Inuyasha looked like he'd been stabbed in the heart. But she had become skittish around all males, except the still unconscious Sesshomaru.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha murmured in dismay.

One Week Later

Steam unfurled languidly in the large indoor hotspring where two females were sequestered. A soothing patter of water filled the night air as they cleansed.

Despite the serene environment, the atmosphere was anything but. Kagura glanced discreetly over at her bathing partner.

Kagome was nervously combing her fingers through her hair. She had never anticipated Kagura to offer a bath together, and now she was desperately trying to gather her wits.

"So…your hands. I'm glad they healed nicely," she awkwardly broke the silence.

Kagura stiffened minutely before allowing, "The regenerative abilities of reptilian demons are unparalleled." Although outwardly calm, she was just as uncomfortable as the miko. Kagura never took baths with another, normally keeping the time irregular so no one could even track her. She had learned the hard way that one was more susceptible to attacks during bath time. It was an old habit from living in the North, and she wasn't ready to leave it behind.

However, this wasn't the North, and she had invited Kagome for one specific purpose.

"Fake pleasantries do not become you. I prefer an honest conversation," Kagura began, growling lightly to indicate her displeasure.

Kagome swallowed the superfluous question she was about to utter, opting to study Kagura instead. It was impressive how relaxed she appeared when the room was oozing tension. Kagome, on the other hand, was a jumbled mess of half-hearted emotions. She had been waiting for such a chance to befriend the hardened demoness, but really hadn't even given it serious thought. In fact, she had only so readily agreed to the bath as a distraction from the empty bedchamber that awaited her. Sesshomaru hadn't set foot in their room since returning. Guiltily, she hadn't considered Kagura until now.

'Here goes nothing…' Sighing, Kagome blundered ahead. "So what did you want to ask me then?"

"Is it so hard to believe I might take your offer of friendship? You were not so guarded after the Demon Rite," Kagura evasively countered.

Kagome flushed. "S-sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I've just had a lot on my mind. Don't take offense. My offer definitely still stands."

'Just where I want you,' Kagura mentally smirked. "I can only imagine. Choosing another must be a trying process. Have you any serious prospects?"

Kagome's face scrunched in confusion. "Huh?"

"You've distanced yourself from your mate in preparation," Kagura nonchalantly said. She regarded the miko with a cool sideways glance. "Surely you already have prospects?"

This time Kagome bristled defensively. She didn't need someone else pointing out the growing distance between her and Sesshomaru. "What are you talking about? We've both been busy since getting back. Sesshomaru has been placating the Demon Council, and I've been researching how to release the souls in the shikon," she indignantly explained. Her hand absently toyed with the jewel hanging around her neck. She had placed a barrier on the shikon shortly after returning, trapping and condensing the magical artifact to a palm-sized bauble. Being the only miko strong enough to contain the warped energies, she was now charged with carrying the dangerous jewel.

Kagura sneered at the weak excuses before averting her piercing eyes. "Even heretical mikos suffer from denial it seems," she blandly observed. The wretched jewel for once had nothing to do with the trouble she was referring to.

When Sesshomaru had woken up a day after returning to the castle, the couple had exchanged one word: 'Naraku'. Kagome had already informed everyone of Akira and Naraku's treachery and allayed their fears of her virtue, but the dog demon could still scent the traces of Naraku's invasion into the mating mark. By nightfall, Kagome had purified any lingering vestiges of the fiend from her body, but the two had not spoken since.

It has been nearly a week since then, and the distance between the two has only widened. Why was the miko not approaching her mate? Lord Sesshomaru had retrieved her. It was now her turn to act – to punish or forgive her mate for not properly protecting her. Yet she had done neither.

There was only one reason Kagura knew of for the lack of response. And she _would_ force it out of the silent miko.

"Well, I suppose he deserved it," Kagura quipped. "How laughable for THE Lord Sesshomaru to have given up his mate."

Kagome's lips tightened into a thin line, but she stayed quiet.

Kagura was determined to prod her into action. She wanted answers. Smirking through the splayed fingers over her mouth, she drawled, "Afterall, what good is a dog if he can't keep track of his bone?"

"Don't talk about him that way! He SAVED me. How can anyone think that?" Kagome finally erupted.

"Please, don't play dumb. He lost you in more ways than one. Who is your chosen now that you've rejected him?" Kagura insisted.

However, the miko's eyes only held anger and confusion.

Kagura paused. 'Did she really not know?' This was not how she expected the conversation to go. "You didn't know? Now that your mate is an invalid, you are entitled to another lover."

'Another…lover?' The idea was too foreign for Kagome to comprehend.

Kagura gaped at her briefly before bursting into laughter. "Oh this is positively grand!" The miko really was too naïve. "A demoness has the right to seek another male if her mate was so incapacitated. A mating bond is permanent, but a polyandrous relationship can be forged for your benefit. You can choose anyone you desire and Lord Sesshomaru would be helpless to stop you. And no male would refuse you due to the position he would gain from such a relationship. He would be elevated to a _co-_lord, and any offspring with you could legitimately become heir of the West."

Kagome's eyes widened in horror as she slowly registered the true implications of the demoness' words. "No…NO!" Was this what Sesshomaru suspected of her? "Ahh! That IDIOT! Does he REALLY think I'd do something so…so…" Kagome couldn't think of a word befitting such a ludicrous situation. "And YOU! How come everyone just expects me to know all these STUPID rules? DEMON rules," she screeched, pointing an accusing finger at Kagura.

The demoness simply shrugged. It was hard to remember that the miko didn't understand demon society. Her natural reactions were so _demon _– the protectiveness, the fierceness. "It is instinctive for a demoness to seek proper protection. None would deny you the right."

Kagome slapped the water in frustration. "I don't care what I'm 'entitled'. I _love _Sesshomaru. Doesn't that mean anything?"

Kagura examined her beseeching eyes. Finally, the demoness looked away with a sigh of relief. She should have known the girl was too soft-hearted to even consider such an option. "And here I was preparing myself to face you again for Inuyasha," she mumbled. She really was foolish to humiliate herself with this bathing charade.

"What?" Kagome wasn't following the conversation at all. From the beginning, Kagura kept asking questions that didn't make sense. 'Prospects? Chosen? Like a replacement for Sesshomaru? As if,' she mentally snorted. 'No one could replace him. And what does this hypothetical second mate have to do with Inuyasha? It's not like he's the…'

"Oh no. Inuyasha would see it as his duty to propose to me and ensure that there wouldn't be a bloodline dispute," Kagome thought aloud. Then, a darker realization hit. "You didn't ask me to accompany you for friendship, did you? You love Inuyasha. If I were looking for a second to strengthen my position without causing a coup, Inuyasha would naturally be chosen. You'd lose him to me. This invitation – you were just feeling out the enemy."

Kagura looked away. The deafening silence was louder than any declaration of intent.

Finally, Kagura pulled herself straight and faced the miko. "A demon's heart doesn't stir easily, but when it does…" The cold challenge was evident within her piercing pink eyes. "As long as he cares for me, I will stop at nothing to have him. My debt to you was repaid when we came to your aid."

Slowly, Kagome smiled. Even though Kagura manipulated her, she couldn't blame her. "As it should be," she quietly murmured, remembering her own determination to be with Sesshomaru.

"Now that you understand, leave," Kagura waved off.

Kagome grinned even wider at the demoness' brusque attitude. Kagura could have committed far worse treachery than mere information gathering for personal gain. She tightly clasped both of Kagura's hands in her own. "I knew you were a nice person. I will support you," Kagome enthused.

Kagura blushed, sharply withdrew her hands, and then proceeded to pinch both of Kagome's cheeks with all her might. Somehow, that big goofy look the miko was directing at her was extremely irritating. "Why are you so dumb?" she bit out. Nice? She had just deceived the girl, inviting her to bathe for wholly impure motives! Why did the idiot still want to be friends?

"Ow owowow ow!" Kagome cried out.

Kagura finally released her puckered face. "Go infect your stupidity elsewhere. Gods!" she disgustedly exclaimed. She had been prepared to kill this naïve twit with a heart too big for her own good. She _had_.

Kagome was already out of the bath. "Let's do this again sometime," she grinned and disappeared out the door.

Kagura rolled her eyes, and settled back into the steaming water. However, she couldn't shake the sinking feeling that she had just started a new bathing ritual. 'I am the wind! I have no bounds!' And yet…wasn't she already attached to these idiots in the West?

"What am I becoming?" she groaned into the empty bathroom.


	36. Chapter 36

*Author Note: Thanks for reviews as always. I've been very busy, and will continue to be for probably another month or 2. Bear with me. You WILL see some tiny feet running around before the end of this story…but you gotta wait to find out what kind ;). Enjoy, and keep reviewing!*

Kagome pulsed her aura, feeling Sesshomaru's aura ripple somewhere near his study, and started running towards his location. As soon as she started closing in on the study, his aura shifted and moved outside.

"Oh no you don't, buddy," Kagome muttered and sped up, giving her legs an extra boost of reiki. However, by the time she charged into the study, Sesshomaru was already on the far side of the garden.

"SESSHOMARU!" she shouted. "I will jump down this balcony, and if you don't catch me, I will haunt you for the rest of your long life!" Kagome then flung herself down three stories without hesitation. She had barely dropped five feet before Sesshomaru grabbed her and set her on his cloud.

"Kagome," he growled, clearly displeased by her reckless display. "You will desist from such foolish actions!" Seeing her drop from that window almost gave him heart failure. Sesshomaru was not used to being frightened, and he wanted to keep it that way.

"And you will stop avoiding me! We need to talk," Kagome yelled back with equal ferocity. They were on the ground now in the garden.

Sesshomaru immediately turned away. He did not, could not, face her.

"Please. Tell me what's bothering you," she said softly this time. "I don't understand. You've even blocked the mating bond. Please, Sesshomaru. Mate."

What was bothering him? Sesshomaru humorlessly scoffed in his mind. There were too many things to name. He had let her fall into enemy hands. He had failed to protect her. She was almost raped by that filth Naraku. She was beaten, and hurt. She nearly had her soul sucked out by Akira. She nearly died. Everything had been his fault. His cursed prophecy was infecting her. Moreover, she would not be solely his for much longer. His injury assured that. Sesshomaru started walking away.

Kagome ran forward and yanked his shortened hair. Sesshomaru stilled, but still kept his back to her. Normally, such an act would have him baring his fangs in warning and demanding an explanation. Kagome's frown deepened. She walked around and stood in front of him. He looked right above her head. She pulled his face down to her level. His eyes averted to the side.

Kagome's eyes flashed in anger. Wasn't he being a little too obstinate here?

She glared at him for several long minutes before she came to a decision. 'Fine! Be that way.' She pulled the knot loose. Her obi fluttered to the ground. Next came her kimono.

Sesshomaru snapped his eyes back when he heard fabric flapping to the ground. "What are you doing?" He swiftly pressed her into him and covered her backside with his mokomoko.

"Trying to get your attention," she rebelliously answered.

He growled in response, and flew them into the privacy of his bed chamber. Sesshomaru pushed her away as soon as they landed.

"You saved me, you know," Kagome matter-of-factly stated.

He didn't respond. How could he accept her forgiveness, when he had not even begun to forgive himself?

She scowled at the unyielding demon.

"Are you ashamed of me?" she spat. "I was so weak. I got captured without even putting up a fight. Are you ashamed to have someone like me as a mate?" She began divulging all the insecurities that had held her back from seeking him out.

"Or are you disgusted with me? The attempted rape was one of the scariest moments of my life. I couldn't fend him off. But he was killed before anything irreparable happened. Akira killed him, just like that. Ironically, he saved me. A-and for that, I can't hate him. He was behind everything. He made your life living hell. He killed my parents, and your father. He massacred villages and then visited us without batting an eye. He was an incurable monster. And yet, I can't hate him. Are you disgusted with me?" Her eyes reflected self-loathing.

"Or do you hate me? You almost died because I was being selfish about visiting Kaede. I knew the Holy Village hated you, but I still forced you to go there. And then I was too incompetent to see through that illusion. Kaede was completely not right. I was stupid, and you suffered for it. I've become your weakness. Do you resent me? I cost you an arm. Do you hate me?"

The guilt-ridden, bottomless cerulean orbs were now dripping with anguish.

Sesshomaru finally turned around and crushed her trembling body to his. Too many emotions were running through him at hearing her bare her fears to him.

"No," he answered. Gods, he needed to do better than that. Sesshomaru released the shield guarding his tightly wound emotions from the mating bond. He let his guilt, remorse, pain, and sorrow flood their connection. He bared all his inadequacies for her to judge.

"Never," he reiterated. "This one could ask the same. Do you deem me unworthy of your affection? You now fear that which you should not." It irked him that Akira had been the one to save Kagome, and not him. Yet he had no right. "I have let your soul be taken twice now. It is purely by your own virtue that you still retain it." Sesshomaru paused, choked by his own shame. "My failure is inexcusable. I have done nothing to earn the title of your mate."

Kagome clutched him tightly. "That's not true. You've never failed me. I trust you, and you've never betrayed that trust," she breathed into his chest. Her hand accidently brushed against the empty sleeve of his missing left arm.

Sesshomaru suddenly turned to stone beneath her touch.

An image of his mutilated doppelganger and her repulsed face flashed in his mind. Sesshomaru didn't know what he would do if Kagome actually looked upon him with that expression, and then cast him away.

This was why he was so desperately avoiding her. His failure, he could and would spend the rest of his life redeeming. But this? He could not come back to her _flawed_. Unlike Kagura, he did not have regenerative abilities. His form would forever be marred by the unsightly stump. A disgraceful three-legged dog. He slowly met her eyes, half expecting to find them filled with horror.

Kagome noticed his hesitancy and fear. Her hands automatically squeezed the shoulders she had lain them on. Fear was not something that should ever cross the indomitable demon lord's eyes. Especially not when she was touching an injury he had suffered for her sake.

She quickly moved both hands to push the fabric away and caress his missing limb. There were ugly scars covering the truncated bicep. It was a gruesome injury, and Kagome couldn't imagine how painful it must have been. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She couldn't restore the arm. Her healing abilities relied on replicating the surrounding tissue to heal a wound. The regenerated tissue would have no form without a scaffold. This was all her fault.

Kagome kissed the stump almost reverently. She nuzzled it tenderly with her cheek, and locked her guilt-ridden eyes on Sesshomaru's. Her throat constricted when she tried to apologize. An apology really wasn't enough for something like this.

Sesshomaru stared at Kagome in awe at her actions. Though her rejection would have cut him deeper than any sword, he wouldn't have blamed her for recoiling in revulsion. Most beings would shy away from his deformity. But the true cost of an arm was so much more than simple aesthetics. It was a price even he had tried to run from.

However, he could no longer delay the inevitable.

His face solidified into an impassive mask. "Per custom, you are allowed to seek an additional male to offset This Sesshomaru's deficit," he mechanically droned. This heavy price, worsened only by this miserable obligation to inform her. He had forever lost his exclusivity to her. It felt like a crushing vice was steadily twisting and squeezing his heart until it could no longer beat.

Kagome's eyes flashed in anger. 'Not this stupid rule again.' She swiftly removed her face from his shoulder and stepped back. "It is _customary_ to take another lover if your mate loses a limb?" she tried her best to keep the incredulity from her voice.

The reluctance was oozing off of every pore on his body. She could practically feel him wince at the word 'lover' through the mating bond.

Sesshomaru wanted to rip out his own vocal cords. Instead, he responded in a hollow tone, "If a male can not properly perform his duties, then his mate is entitled to…" He couldn't say 'lover'. The word simply refused to form on his lips. "…another," he managed.

"So if I lost an arm, you'd find another female?" Kagome asked, barely holding in her bitterness.

"Unlike a male, a female's primary duty is to bear offspring, not to protect," he technically replied.

Kagome scowled. He was being too literal. "If Naraku had succeeded in raping me to the point that I was unable to bear an heir, would you marry another?" she harshly said.

Sesshomaru's aura spiked at the mere suggestion, but he stomped it down to a tolerable level. "No, you are my mate by _my_ choice. I will not take another. I would find an alternative means to procreate with you, regardless of how long it took," he answered in a raw tone.

Kagome's heart melted at his willful words. "Then how can you possibly think I'd take another for something as silly as an arm?" she exasperatedly asked. "Are you so eager to push me away?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "An arm is crucial to my abilities to protect you! I would not be able to pick you up and wield a sword at the same time. I would not be able to defend against an attack from more than one direction. I am now crippled! I cannot even dress myself without wasting insufferable amounts of time fumbling with ties. Do you understand? Do you think I'd offer MY mate to bed some wretched brute if it was not necessary?" he exploded. He felt like sinking his claws deep into his soft entrails, or ripping his chest wide open, or melting his throat into a gurgling mass – anything to gouge out the suffocating pain he could no longer endure.

Kagome took a step back from the sheer ferocity of his outburst. This was the first time he had gotten so upset with her. 'No.' Kagome carefully scrutinized the agitated inuyoukai. 'He's upset at himself,' she realized. She wanted nothing more than to cradle him in her arms and surround him with warmth until all the darkness faded from his being. However, she knew he'd never allow it.

There was only one method Sesshomaru would be receptive to.

Abruptly, Kagome pounced on Sesshomaru while shooting a reiki orb from her hand at point blank range toward his open left side.

Sesshomaru reflexively dodged the harmless ball, flipped her over, and pinned her down onto the bed with his only hand. He started withdrawing as soon as he realized what he'd done.

Kagome grabbed his wrist, stilling his retreat. "See, it wasn't so hard to overcome your 'deficit' now was it?" She knew her reiki couldn't hurt him anymore than his own youki, but she had been betting on his flawless deflection of her attack to make her point.

Sesshomaru stared down at the beautifully vulnerable woman beneath him. There hadn't been a hint of killing intent in that attack. He understood her demonstration for what it was. "You are unskilled in close combat," he rebutted.

"Yes, an average attack wouldn't faze you. You are Lord Sesshomaru, first son of Inu no Taisho, and strongest demon of all the lands," Kagome evenly declared. Her eyes bore into his, searching. Where was his usual arrogance? His confidence?

"Whatever limitations are present now can be offset with due training. Am I wrong?" Kagome resolutely said. She would be his confidence until he rediscovered it.

As expected, he rose to her challenge. "This Sesshomaru shall prevail," he solemnly vowed. He would not disappoint her, not when she so wholly believed in him.

"Then I see no reason to _choose another_," she immediately clipped. Her lips curled distastefully at the last part. She then leaned up and pressed a kiss over his heart. "There is only one I want in this manner," she continued upon seeing his shocked expression. "And there is only one who will ever know me like this." Kagome guided his hand to cup her left breast.

Sesshomaru took in her forceful reasoning as he gazed in wonderment at the barely clothed woman. 'So strong, and yet so fragile at the same time.' She had soundly shut down the vile suggestion he had been honorbound to offer. Any normal demoness would have jumped at the opportunity to significantly raise her status by gaining power over two males. But this was Kagome. It was frightening how perfectly she understood his needs, and how flawlessly she delivered them. She had mercilessly crumbled all his defenses only to rush in and hold together his tattered soul before it fell to ruin. Was this love? His chest swelled with unspoken emotion.

Kagome watched the icy shields leave his honey eyes as he allowed himself to feel.

"You will be required to hold a trial period. Suitors will attempt to woo you. You can only reject them after all prospects have been reviewed and compared to this Sesshomaru," he guardedly said. But his eyes revealed his dread.

'Really, how many times do I have to tell him I love him, and only him, before he gets it?' Kagome internally grumbled. With shaking hands, she slowly began undoing his clothing. She would show him her devotion.

Sesshomaru's hovering form went completely still under her ministrations.

She then removed the remaining pieces of her own undergarments. Kagome was blushing fiercely. She hadn't quite thought the idea through, but she was determined to show her mate how much she wanted him, and erase whatever insecurities he had left on the matter. Kagome flipped on top of Sesshomaru and straddled his bare body. "Don't move," she commanded, congratulating herself for keeping a steady voice.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was barely breathing. Kagome had never initiated a sexual encounter before. It wasn't uncommon for a demoness to take the more dominant role, but he had never willingly submitted himself - ever. Kagome leaned over his supine body, and Sesshomaru's pulse skyrocketed. The vulnerable position reminded him acutely of his time in the dragon dungeons.

Kagome was bewildered by the trill of distress coming from her mate. "Sesshomaru? Sesshomaru, look at me," she called with concern.

Flashing eyes shot open and locked on her face. His erratic breathing visibly calmed. "Tell me what just happened," she gently cooed.

Sesshomaru swallowed thickly. "This Sesshomaru is unaccustomed to remaining in such a vulnerable position."

His statement was as monotonous as ever, but Kagome instantly caught the haunted look in his eyes. He was remembering his unpleasant past. Kagome immediately knelt down beside him. She was only just realizing how much he was sacrificing to comply with her seemingly innocuous wishes. "I'm sorry, I was thougthless. Do you trust me?"

Sesshomaru looked into her innocent, pleading eyes. It was ridiculous to compare his pure mate to any of the ugly darkness associated with his childhood. However, it happened everytime he was so exposed, regardless of who was looming over him. His misplaced fear was unacceptable. Kagome was his mate! She would sooner chop off her own hand than hurt him. "Yes."

"Let me help you," she reassuringly said. Slowly, she crawled onto the foot of the bed. "Don't close your eyes. Look only at me. Feel only me." Sesshomaru propped himself up with his one arm to gaze into her deep cobalt eyes.

"Trust me, and listen carefully to my words," she softly told him.

Sesshomaru nodded mutely. He was not at all comfortable with surrendering control to anyone. However, for her, he would try.

Kagome gave him an encouraging smile, silently promising that she'd never abuse the gift he was bestowing.

Kagome took a deep breath. She hoped she didn't do this wrong. In her studies, she had learned the basics of how inuyoukai used body language to communicate. She wanted to assure her mate beyond a shadow of a doubt her continued affection for him.

Tentatively, she nuzzled the underside of his chin before retreating to the bottom of the bed and tracing her hand along his ankle.

"I know you blame yourself for my kidnapping. But let me ask you, why did you want a strong mate?" She kissed the flesh she had been stroking so lovingly.

Sesshomaru tried to concentrate, but it was impossible to give an educated response with her wreaking havoc on his person. He suspected the effect was intentional in order to hinder his arguments so he would have no choice but to follow her logic.

"For strong progeny? Because of instinct? Or maybe so she would not succumb easily to the vices of your enemies? Afterall, what progeny can be born if she cannot defend herself and her young? You cannot be with your mate every second of every day. Thus, you're implicitly trusting your mate to take care of herself to some extent, no? It is clear that the Lady of the West must not be a burden, but a pillar for the West. We are partners. Do not blame yourself unless you blame me as well." She moved to the other ankle, pressing her petal soft lips to his sensitive markings.

Sesshomaru shuddered, both at her words and the sensations she was eliciting. It was like she was casting a spell over him. With each candid phrase, she soothed a shard of guilt and insecurity within him. And with each weight she lifted from his soul, his buried desire for her came to the forefront.

Kagome gave a discreet nudge, and his legs naturally parted, allowing her to settle between his feet. "There will always be dangers. Trust in me to at least stay alive long enough for you to come."

She languidly traced his calf with her wet tongue. "I don't think you realize how much strength you gave me," she murmured . "You make me feel so safe, even from afar. I didn't doubt for one second that you'd save me. I kept fighting because of that."

Her hands slid higher. She rubbed the insides of his thighs, and placed feathery kisses all over his powerful legs. "My broken cheekbone, the whip marks…I wore those injuries with pride. They were proof that Naraku had to revert to physical abuse to get a rise out of me. He had to break me physically because he couldn't do it mentally. It's because I was so confident in you."

Sesshomaru's head lolled back. It was so hard to maintain eye contact against her tactile assault. Whatever misgivings he had about her position above him was long gone. All he could think about were her tender touches and consoling words.

"Naraku showed me an image of you fighting all those demons. Probably even worse was how you looked right before killing Akira."

She skirted to the side of his hips, drawing intricate patterns along the two stripes pointing to his erogenous zone. The markings were slightly thicker here compared to those found on his extremities. "You can be monstrous, but you are not a monster. I love you just as you are. Only you."

The words loudly resounded in his mind. Sesshomaru's member twitched into erection against his toned abdomen.

"That is what mates do. Until you stop loving me, you will never fail me," she whispered, sending hot puffs of air across his markings.

Sesshomaru groaned. A drop of precum collected at the tip of his now throbbing penis. This was pure torture. Her words, combined with her sensual ministrations, were driving him insane with desire. She understood him too well. She knew exactly how to tear down his resolve and force him to acknowledge her forgiveness.

Kagome hovered over his engorged member before bypassing it to lick his pearly fluid that had dribbled down just above his navel. His abdominal muscles jumped, and his eyes darkened with lust. It was the sexiest thing Sesshomaru had ever seen in his long existence, short of her body. Her eyes then darted up to his, questioningly, as she wet her lips to contemplate his flavor. She must be delusional if she thought he'd object to her tasting him.

Kagome was now straddling his left thigh, and running her soft hands along his ribcage, and tracing each defined muscle. It was fascinating to watch every sinew bunch and relax beneath her fingers. Then, her hands went to cup his phantom wounds. The holes through his torso had healed without a scar, but she remembered where they were. "Thank you for protecting me."

She gently suckled his nipples, trying to convey her gratitude with actions, knowing her demon lord appreciated them over words. Kagome rolled the hardened pebble in her mouth, intermittently increasing suction and teasing it with her teeth.

Kagome moved on to his arm, touching the stump of his left limb.

Sesshomaru immediately tensed and angled away from her, trying to hide his deformity.

Kagome stilled him and wrapped her hands around the stump. "You are beautiful." She traced the ghastly purple discolorations. "I see your strength." She rubbed the hideously elevated scar tissue. "Your determination." She pressed feathery kisses to the lumpy, irregular cross-section of his truncated limb. "And most importantly, your love." Her swirling ocean depths met his tortured golden suns.

"How can I possibly think of this as a deficit? I will treasure all the feelings that resulted in this wound. There is nothing to be ashamed of. It's beautiful," Kagome gently pledged.

'You're the beautiful one,' Sesshomaru thought. He brushed a lock of her wild tresses behind her delicate ear.

Kagome slowly began licking a path down his torso. Sesshomaru's head fell back.

Abruptly, he felt a searing wet heat engulf his member. Hissing, Sesshomaru snapped his head up only to see his mate suckling on his shaft. "What are you doing?" he exclaimed even as his hips arched to meet her lips.

Kagome disengaged with a quiet pop. She shyly looked up. "Did I do it wrong? Did you not like it?"

Sesshomaru couldn't quite comprehend the questions while pleasurable tremors were still quaking his body. He desperately tried to pull together his scattered thoughts. "Is this a common human practice?"

Kagome's eyes widened in disbelief. "Uh…you've never…? How-don't…uhm…Don't demonesses give oral pleasure like this?" she finally blurted out. Her face immediately flushed and she moved to hide her embarrassment.

Sesshomaru shot his hand out and halted her hasty retreat. "Demonesses use other attributes to give pleasure," he bluntly explained, gazing at Kagome's breasts meaningfully. "However, fangs are not…compatible with more sensitive fleshes."

Kagome wanted to melt into the bed. How could she have forgotten about the fangs? Of course no demon of right mind would put his prized penis anywhere near those razor-sharp things.

As the miko drowned in mortification, Sesshomaru contemplated the implications of her bold actions. It was perfectly logical that humans would perform such acts considering there were no hindering mechanics. And judging by his mate's insecurity, she had never conducted such behavior before. She most likely learned of these matters through her miko education. The possibilities sent a thrill up Sesshomaru's spine.

He gave her a firm tug.

Kagome reluctantly looked back at him. Sesshomaru was staring at her lips with unerring intensity. She was instantly transfixed by his hooded orbs.

"Show me," he huskily whispered.

His throaty request ignited her blood with liquid heat. Her embarrassment was forgotten. Kagome's eyes glazed with arousal as she settled in front of his member. It was nestled in downy silver fur, and perfectly arched toward his abdomen. The rigid length was covered in velvety, blush colored skin. She charted the delicate veins along the shaft before gripping the base tightly.

Sesshomaru's breath hitched and a pearlescent drop oozed from the slit at the tip of the thick mushroom head.

Kagome stared, mesmerized by the translucent moisture. Her tongue stretched out almost involuntarily to lick it away. She prodded into the slit, greedily seeking more of the salty fluid. His penis twitched, forcing her little pink tongue just a tiny bit deeper.

Her lips slipped onto the head and peeled the foreskin down to engulf the entire glans. She began an unhurried rhythm of sucking, swirling, and nipping it.

Sesshomaru strained against the little temptress, trying to drive more of himself into the warm haven of her mouth. However, she simply pulled back further. He moaned in frustration. To be denied bliss so close was utterly maddening. Gods, he needed her to quicken the pace or he'd flip them over and fuck her like the beast he was.

"Kagome," he breathed. Sesshomaru didn't intend for it to sound like begging, but the pleading tone was unmistakable.

The miko immediately pushed his entire length into her throat. Both groaned loudly in pleasure. The vibrations from her mouth sent Sesshomaru spasming. He growled long and low, already on the verge of cumming.

Slowly, Kagome began bobbing her head up and down his penis while maintaining suction. He was absurdly hard, and the feeling of him hitting the back of her throat brought tears to her eyes. However, the discomfort was worth seeing the powerful demon lord pawing the sheets for stability and writhing in unadultered pleasure.

Sesshomaru grabbed the back of her head and began pumping wildly into her erotic little mouth. He was reaching climax too fast. "Kag…can't…nngg…" he panted hotly. Quickly, he pulled her silken locks, trying to spare her the strong taste of his seed.

Kagome unexpectedly resisted his move and continued to lavish his painfully engorged member with her decadent tongue.

"AH!" he shouted. Her blunt teeth scrapped the underside of his penis and Sesshomaru exploded in her mouth. He arched high off the bed, taking Kagome with him. He flooded her mouth with his thick ejaculate.

She swallowed the musky fluid, sucking him clean. Thankfully, the uniquely salty, spicy taste was nowhere near as bad as some of her patients had complained of. Kagome straightened back on her knees and watched the small tremors rack Sesshomaru's glistening body. His eyes were still tightly shut. Female pride bloomed in her chest.

Crawling up his outstretched frame, she lowered her head next to his ear and murmured, "I only see you. Trust in me."

Sesshomaru collapsed her to his chest, purring his approval.

Kagome woke in the dark hours of the morning to find the bed cold and empty. Panic flashed through her mind at the thought that her conciliation with Sesshomaru had been a dream. But then an answering pulse of reassurance floated through the mating bond.

The miko plopped back down on the futon. It was too early to get up, but there was no way she was going to fall back asleep without her mate's warmth. Getting dressed, she drifted through the castle, following Sesshomaru's vibrant aura.

When she reached the dojo, Kagome couldn't help her reaction to the captivating demon lord. He was loosely drapped in a pair of hakama, obviously having had trouble tying it tight. His now shoulder length hair was fluttering freely in the winds of his youki, and his eyes were closed in concentration.

Sesshomaru had started his training to ensure no being could oust him from his position, both as lord and mate. He had developed a new kata that utilized the length of his reach, as well as his legs, to compensate for the loss of his left arm. The wide arcs and high sweeps tested his flexibility and balance. The movements were so big that they seemed wasteful on initial impression. However, he was positive that with practice, the motions would smooth into an unpredictable, distracting, and impenetrable defense.

Gradually, he increased the speed of his kata until his arm seemed to come unhinged and blur around him in a deadly haze while his feet kicked out at irregular intervals. The haze quickly died down until his arm could once again be tracked by Kagome's human eyes.

Her arousal permeated the air and Sesshomaru finally stopped and turned to her. The technique was overwhelming, but apparently took a toll on the demon. His joint was not yet strong enough to sustain the movements for long at such speeds. He needed to improve his balance and flexibility in his legs as well. Kagome noticed all this. She knew he wanted to get stronger. But even this imperfect display of power was stirring her lust.

When Sesshomaru made to move toward her, Kagome finally snapped her oogling eyes away. "Ah, sorry to interrupt. I didn't mean to…but you were so…"

Sesshomaru drowned out her awkward explanation with a seductive rumble. "Mate, is there something this Sesshomaru can help you with?" He had the ridiculous urge to flex his muscles and strut in a most inappropriate way. He was NOT trying to entice his miko. He was NOT trying to impress her. It wasn't like he wanted a repeat of last night's oral pleasuring…

"That was good. You could add blades to the tips of your boots, no?" Kagome tried to divert his attention.

"Hm."

"We could even get some armor to drap from your left shoulder."

"Hm."

"I-I should go discuss it with Totosai." But Sesshomaru had already cornered her.

Just as he was about to swoop down and claim her lips, the dojo door banged open. He snarled instead.

"L-L-Lord S-S-Se-Seshomaru, t-there-"

"Cease your rambling, Jaken," Sesshomaru darkly ordered.

"Yes, my lord! Right away, my lor-" Jaken squawked.

"What. Is. It?" he cut off again.

Jaken cowered at the thought of delivering the terrible news to an already irate demon lord. "Suitors," he finally croaked.

Sesshomaru immediately straightened from Kagome's form and shuttered his face with a cool mask. "Prepare Lady Kagome, then take her to the reception hall," he ordered with his trademark stoicism.

As Jaken hurried off to find Umi, Kagome grabbed Sesshomaru's hand. "Will you be there with me?" she asked with barely veiled trepidation.

The frigid demon lord blocked the mating bond before responding, "This Sesshomaru cannot interfere. Per custom, this one should not be present until the final selection. Some allow their original mate input during this stage, while others will introduce their primary mate only after choosing."

Kagome knew he did not want her to feel or see his struggle. He did not want any to see how deeply this truly affected him. The miko hugged him gently from behind. "And if I requested your presence starting from the beginning?"

"You may be construed as weak-willed. One may suspect this one of trying to influence you," he whispered.

"Then how do I show others your continued value in my eyes? How do I let all know that it is YOU I want and return to?"

Sesshomaru spun around and pulled her tightly to his chest. If there was such a thing as falling in love all over again, he was experiencing it right now. Her words warmed his very core. "At the end of the day, call this Sesshomaru to escort you to your private quarters," he finally answered her.

"None shall see our private quarters but you," Kagome replied, understanding his unspoken plea. With a reassuring squeeze, she quickly released her mate and left to prepare.

Sesshomaru could still feel his wrist tingle from where her soft hands had rested.


	37. Chapter 37

Two Weeks Later

The courtship month was well underway and the West was a frenzy of activity. Kagome was constantly hounded by suitors, and there wasn't a day that went by without Sesshomaru getting challenged. Thus far, the couple had managed admirably. It was now time for the group involved with Akira's death to appear before the Demon Council for a formal hearing.

Sesshomaru glided into the large atrium with his usual arrogant grace that set even the members of the Demon Council on edge. It seemed as if he was completely unfazed by the loss of his limb. Lady Mizuki hid an approving smile behind her fan. No son from the House of the Moon should ever appear weak.

Kagome and the backup team filed in behind the demon lord and settled down to await the start of the hearing. Tension crackled in the air as facts leading up to the demise of the Eastern Lord were slowly revealed.

"You lie! Lord Akira would never assist that fiend, Naraku!" A kitsune on the council hollered. The disbelief and rage were manifesting as lightening bolts of youki directed at Sesshomaru. They skittered across Sesshomaru's youki harmlessly.

"This Sesshomaru does not lie," he coldly replied. "Akira was not merely 'assisting' Naraku. He created him through corruption of a former human bandit."

"Peace, Daichi," Tetsuya cut the kitsune off before he could rebut. "You know this atrium is bespelled such that none standing before the Council can lie."

"Easy for you _dogs _to dismiss. Akira was my kin! My second cousin! You are condemning the Golden Fox Clan!" Daichi shouted.

"No one will condemn your entire clan for the folly of one. Unless your clan was involved?" Tetsuya pointedly remarked.

"Of course not," the kitsune scoffed.

"Then cease your protests," Tetsuya soundly shut down. It had been close to three weeks since the incident with Naraku and Akira, and during this time, the Council had labored nonstop to glean evidence and cross check witnesses. All the evidence supported Sesshomaru's claim.

Daichi growled one more time before sitting down. Just because the Council had found nothing to disprove Sesshomaru's statements didn't mean he was completely innocent. Akira was well loved by many, and Daichi did not want to believe the easy going kitsune could commit such heinous crimes.

"What of the Shikon no Tama?" Lady Mizuki diverted the subject.

Kagome stepped forward calmly, trying to imitate Sesshomaru's cool confidence. "This Kagome, Lady of the West, has contained most of the effects from the jewel within a barrier. As long as my person touches it, the jewel will remain pure and free of madness. However, the ancient magic used to create it will not break so easily." She parted the top of her kimono so all could see the now pendent sized jewel resting on her breast bone. It sparkled with mesmerizing pink purity and pulsed with power. The now dull pull would only affect low level demons.

"You expect me to let the West keep such a powerful artifact? Those souls were bound to this plane by an ancient magic, and strengthened by Akira's own. It should belong with the Golden Kitsunes," Daichi once again objected.

Lady Mizuki narrowed her citrine eyes at the fox. She was not one to be interrupted. "Hmm. And you kitsune have the power to hold the Shikon no Tama without corrupting it?"

Daichi bristled at the challenge and came toward Kagome.

Immediately, Sesshomaru was in between the two, blocking Daichi's view of the miko. His face was as impassive as ever, but his protective stance brooked no compromise.

"Stand. Down." Daichi had enough of insolent pups. He was over a thousand years his senior.

"You will not touch this Sesshomaru's mate," Sesshomaru quietly threatened. Kagome was no longer jumping at every male aura to brush up against hers, but that didn't mean she was over the trauma. He would protect her from any unnecessary discomfort.

A deathly silent staring match ensued. Their auras rose and crackled against each other. The oppressive forces brought the younger members of the backup team to their knees.

"Lord Daichi! Stop picking a fight with the whelp," Tetsuya boomed.

"Please, Sesshomaru," Kagome pleaded and wrapped a hand around his arm. Sesshomaru's youki faltered and fizzed out in the face of her crystalline blue eyes.

However, Daichi had not lightened his aura. Sesshomaru tensed, preparing for the slap of youki now that his own was reigned in.

Kagome's reiki swelled with frightening speed when she noticed the still roaring youki from the kitsune intent on maiming Sesshomaru. Her anger spiked and she flung his youki back and smothered it within the kitsune's own body. Glaring at Daichi, she bit out, "Have you no honor? This one's mate has withdrawn in deference to the Council. Yet you continue. Lord Sesshomaru submits to no one."

Sesshomaru's hair was standing on end at the sudden and awesome display of power from his mate. Pride, and something softer, swelled at her defense of his person.

Meanwhile, Daichi was trying to overcome the shock of being put in place by a little human. His youki wouldn't harm himself, but having it forced back was akin to having a breath cut short. He was still trying to recover without appearing been stunned.

Lady Mizuki smirked. 'I'm pretty sure my indomitable son had just submitted to _you_,' she thought, gazing at the riled miko.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru simply said.

The wild reiki was immediately sucked back. The sudden absence of energies made some stumble.

'And you to him.' Lady Mizuki's smirk turned into a wide grin. "Lord Daichi, why don't you test containing the shikon with your youki. Lady Kagome, release the barrier."

Kagome glanced over at Sesshomaru for approval. "Jura, take the soldiers outside and await our return," he ordered before nodding at Kagome.

As soon as the orb was unsealed, it expanded to its original size and hovered in the air above Kagome. The souls could now be clearly seen roiling around angrily. All except Sesshomaru and Kagome averted their eyes from the overwhelming energies.

Daichi quickly formed a barrier and began constricting the powerful artifact. However, the orb immediately started absorbing his youki, requiring him to constantly supply energy to maintain the barrier. The more youki it soaked up, the darker the orb became. "It is evil!" Daichi growled. Afraid of forcing the issue and possibly corrupting the shikon irreparably, he dissolved the barrier.

Greatly perturbed, he stepped back from the abomination of souls. "Take the filthy thing. The Golden Kitsune Clan wants nothing to do with that corrupt jewel."

Kagome wordlessly reinstated her purity barrier and returned it back to her necklace. The fox was wise to have seen the orb for what it really was: a burden. Besides, Kagome wouldn't have been able to part with it even if she wanted to. Within the shikon was half of her soul. Sesshomaru was the only other person to know this fact. She hid her defect well under all the barriers, but truthfully she was greatly weakened with half her soul trapped in the orb. She could still release a substantial amount of reiki, but now lacked the stamina to maintain high output. Sesshomaru was helping her closely guard this secret.

"Well then, I believe we are finished here. Do keep the Council informed of any progress with the shikon. The Council will continue researching the matter. It must be dealt with as soon as possible," Lady Mizuki concluded.

"Watch yourself, Dog. You will not get off so lightly for another transgression," Daichi added venomously.

Sesshomaru didn't deign to acknowledge the fox's presence. He was already exiting the building with Kagome tucked closely to his side.

Final Day of the Courtship Month

Kagome sighed and leaned against the basin in the bathroom. It was just after lunch, and she had already entertained five suitors. The last one had really drained her with his speed. Thankfully for Jaken, each only had about an hour to make their suit. She had developed a new appreciation for the toad as he punctually and diplomatically maneuvered her through the buffoons eager to steal Sesshomaru's position. His loyalty truly was to Sesshomaru.

"Lady Kagome? You still have five more suitors before the day ends," Jaken called in his warbly voice.

She heaved another sigh. 'Just five more. The day's almost over,' she mentally consoled herself. "Lead the way, Jaken," she resigned.

"The next suitor is Menomaru, grandson of Hyoga, leader of the moth demon tribe within the Western Lands. Centuries ago, Lord Hyoga had wanted to expand his control and was expectedly dealt with by Lord Inu no Taisho himself. His grandson has not displayed such ambitions yet. He will be presenting himself in the forest."

They were barely at the edge of the forest when Kagome felt the telltale sign of youki. 'Great, another pushy one,' she thought. Jaken quickly deposited her and retreated before the glittering purple youki could coat the glen.

The moth demon soon emerged with lacey cerulean wings fully extended in an impressive display. Like all the suitors before him, he was barely clothed. A pleated skirt of translucent silk swished around him, and a whispy scarf fluttered around his neck and exposed torso. He was otherwise completely bare, and Kagome wrinkled a nose at his manhood peeking out between the strips of fabric everytime he took a step. 'Gods, even if he is well endowed, he doesn't have to show it off so obviously.' Mercifully, by now, she was well accustomed to demon courtship.

Then, the presentation commenced. Menomaru twirled and flitted before Kagome in a way that kept her eyes on his sleek form. He rose to the sky and continued weaving his dance in the air. All the presentations were like this, designed to show off the male's form and attract the female on the basest physical level.

When he finished, he landed with his back facing her. If a female was enticed, she would favor the male by approaching and showing her interest. The more aggressive ones would test the male's degree of commitment by clawing him. A steadfast male would stay still and take the abuse. The more passive females would simply rub their scent on the male to show they were aroused by the presentation.

Kagome did not move from her spot, indicating her disinterest by ignoring the male. The next stage was the hunt. An acknowledged male would wait for a request of game by the female. However, an ignored male could either end the courtship, or continue with the hunt in an attempt to sway the female. The hunt was his chance to demonstrate his abilities to provide for her.

To her dismay, Menomaru faced Kagome in indication that he'd continue to pursue, and then disappear into the forest. She was nearing the end of her one month mandatory courtship period, and not once had she acknowledge a male. However, not a single one had been dissuaded.

"Waste of animals," she mumbled under her breath. They always brought back either extravagant amounts of common game, or a single rare delicacy. Regardless, she could not accept without encouraging the male.

Fifteen minutes later, Kagome found out Menomaru was the former kind. A pile of ten boars were placed at her feet. Per protocol, she turned her back to the offering. Again, the male had a choice to leave, or continue.

Predictably, the moth demon proceeded with the third and final stage of the courtship: the mating dance. At this stage, the male would display his prowess and attempt to scent mark the female. If he succeeded, the female would be forced to acknowledge his suit, though she'd be under no commitment to mate if she could find a champion to chase off the other male. In a willing female, the male would dominate the female and mate her.

Rounding to her front, Menomaru began zooming around her, displaying his great speed and agility. Kagome readied herself for the assault to come. This was the part she dreaded the most. 'Nothing like an attacking half-naked demon to soothe my fear of males,' she sarcastically thought. Her anxiety in the face of an approaching male was still disproportionately high, but she could now suppress it when mentally prepared. Ironically, this courtship month was remarkably good at desensitizing her fear.

The moth demon blurred toward her left side and was promptly buffeted by her reiki. Hissing, he haphazardly retreated and resumed circling her.

Menomaru glared down at the light burns coating his hands and forearms. 'The stubborn bitch is too strong!' He couldn't get within striking distance of the haughty female that dared to reject him at every turn. However, he was a patient demon. He knew his chance would come.

Again and again he attacked her reiki barrier. 'If nothing else, he is definitely tenacious,' Kagome dryly thought. Even with half her soul trapped away, her reiki barrier was strong, and would not break under any normal barrage. A strong demonic sword could do it, but luckily these courtships forbid use of anything other than natural weapons. She just had to keep it up for another 30 minutes until Jaken came to retrieve her.

But therein laid the problem. This far into the courtship month, Kagome had depleted her reserves. The constant stream of suitors forced her to expend more reiki than she could regenerate with her incomplete soul. It was now to the point where she could only keep up a strong barrier for minutes at a time.

Trying to minimize the strain, Kagome switched to a more conservative defense. Instead of engulfing herself entirely, she only shielded wherever the demon attacked. It required higher concentration on her part, but significantly less power output.

Menomaru smirked triumphantly when he saw the miko lift the protective bubble. He had purposefully placed his suit so late to take advantage of such fatigue. He would not waste such an easy opportunity to rise to a cardinal lord. His grandfather had been a fool to challenge the Inu no Taisho head on. He would not make the same mistake.

Unbeknownst to Kagome, the air began tinting with his powdery youki. It was like fine pollen clinging to every surface touched by air. Still, Menomaru continued the assault without missing a beat.

Kagome grit her teeth against a particularly strong attack. She needed to get away. Her reiki wouldn't last another 20 or so minutes until Jaken came.

She gathered her reiki close to herself, preparing for the moment he rebounded after an attack to trap him in a barrier. It would only last a few minutes, but it'd probably give her enough time to hide herself. It had to.

_CLASH! _Reiki flashed against youki.

Kagome took in a deep breath as she felt, moreso than saw, Menomaru's youki bounce back. 'This is it.'

Suddenly black billowing miasma swallowed the glen. The air caught in Kagome's terror constricted throat, and her muscles froze. There was only one being she knew with this kind of miasma.

Naraku.

A mind numbing chill washed through her as she watched the impossible unfold. A shadowy figure materialized from the smog. The next second, a large pale hand shot through the miasma and coiled around her waist. Kagome tried to scream as familiar crimson eyes stared down at her trapped form, and his haunting laughter echoed through the woods.

Her lips opened, but no sound came out. She was completely petrified in his grasp. The thick tentacles she had tried so hard to forget slithered across her clammy skin and twined her tightly to Naraku's chest.

'No.' This could not be happening.

"Dear little miko, did you miss me?" Naraku's silken voice taunted.

'No! He's dead,' Kagome wailed in her shocked mind.

His breath ghosted across her neck, just like before. And just like before, she could do nothing. Her reiki was trapped by her memories of _that_ time.

A cold wet appendage came out to suckle her vulnerable neck.

Tears slipped down Kagome's ashen cheeks.

The cold suction on her neck soon turned painful as he began clamping his mouth down.

"No…no…NO!" Kagome finally shrieked, and began struggling against his iron grasp.

Reiki exploded from her body, and abruptly the miasma and tentacles disappeared, as if they were never there to begin with.

Instead, she heard someone else snarling in rage. 'Where was Naraku?' Kagome frantically spun around looking for the apparition. But all she found was a partially charred moth demon at the edge of her blast radius.

"A hallucination…" Kagome realized, and sank bonelessly to the ground. 'Gods, that was all a hallucination made from that despicable moth,' she chanted to herself.

Meanwhile, a furious Menomaru started advancing on the helplessly weeping woman on the ground. The bitch had done it now. His entire front side, including half of his face and beautiful teal hair, was scorched black and painfully melted. If he had reacted a second slower to the rapidly built reiki, he would have been completely purified. Even as it is, his severe burns would take at least a month to heal. Reiki damaged tissue was not so easily repaired. Menomaru gnashed his teeth.

His hypnosis was the strongest his clan had seen in generations. Once his pollen-like youki was inhaled, he could bring a being's worst fears to life within their own mind, leaving the person completely vulnerable. Menomaru didn't expect the insufferable woman to break through his spell so quickly and violently before he had finished marking her. He had underestimated the human. 'No matter.' He would finish what he started. Menomaru took a menacing step forward.

And that was how Sesshomaru found them.

He had responded immediately to the shrill distress coming from the mating bond. Sesshomaru had been on the far side of the citadel, viciously training to keep his mind off of the courtship he wasn't allowed to interfere with. However, all logic was lost when Kagome's terror spiked through his mind. He arrived at the scene less than ten seconds after the distress call only to find his mate collapsed on the ground with a vile moth demon closing in on her.

The rabid dog demon lord essentially teleported into Menomaru's path and swiped across his abdomen with enough force to throw him through several trees. The moth demon's disemboweled innards didn't even have a chance to spill from the gaping wound.

Resisting the urge to pursue and finish him off, the feral Sesshomaru quickly knelt down beside his trembling mate and gently inspected her for injuries. She was curled protectively into herself, but did not smell of blood. Sesshomaru's irises changed back from turquoise to gold. Tenderly, he shifted her into his embrace.

Then he saw it. On her neck opposite the side of his mating mark was an angry red blotch marring her otherwise beautiful sunkissed skin. The bastard had succeeded in scent marking Kagome. And from the looks of it, the filth had intended to force a bonding.

Sesshomaru had been forbidden to share his youki through the mating bond during the courtship month. Without such defense, and given the miko's weakened state, any injected youki would be able to control her for a short time – enough time to announce a lover. Sesshomaru's eyes flashed red and his aura filled with rage at the detestable, honorless scheme.

Kagome whimpered as Sesshomaru's seething aura saturated the forest.

He swiftly forced his aura to calm, and carefully carried his shaken mate into the castle.

Jaken, who had arrived a while after Sesshomaru, bowed wordlessly in the sidelines as the silently fuming lord swept past with his lady. There were still four suitors the Lady of the West would have to deal with before the night's end. Moreover, the damnable moth would have to be healed and properly hosted, at least until his claim could be negated.

But Jaken was not daft. Even he could tell this was not the time to open his beak and remind his lord of all the objectionable obligations. Jaken shuddered just imagining the wrath he'd incur…


	38. Chapter 38

*Author Note: Hey all, thank you for the reviews. I probably don't say that enough, but they really are much appreciated. Lol I'm just not suave enough to post little thank yous on every reviewer's message board… Enjoy!*

Sesshomaru gently cradled Kagome in his only arm as he moved to their private chambers. He was relatively defenseless without a free hand. But he didn't care – not when her face was buried in the side of his neck and her trembling arms clung to him as if her life depended on it. Sesshomaru nuzzled the back of her head and crooned in a soothing cadence, again uncaring of who might overhear.

All around, servants and guards backed away and bowed their heads to the intimate couple. This was no longer the Lord and Lady of the West. This was a demon who had tamed his lust for retribution in order to comfort his frightened mate. It felt wrong to intrude upon such a soft and private moment. No one dared to look upon the forbidden scene.

Knowing Kagome well, Sesshomaru brought her directly to the hot springs. He set her on the stone ledge, but kept his frame bent so she could continue to cling to his neck. He struggled out of his attire in this awkward position, and simply cut away her garments so she wouldn't have to release him.

It was only after he had eased them into the warm water that Kagome stopped trembling and relaxed her white-knuckled grip. Sesshomaru wordlessly began washing her in his lap. He would wait until she was ready to talk to him.

"His youki was a hallucinogen," Kagome eventually spoke. "I didn't even notice the fine dusting in the air until it was too late."

She fell silent again. Sesshomaru continued to meticulously lather her soft skin, making sure every memory and imprint from the moth was sluiced away. The pitter patter of water created a lulling rhythm.

Slowly, she unburied her face from the dip between Sesshomaru's shoulder and chest, and whispered, "He showed me Naraku."

A dam seemed to break and the waiting words finally flowed free. "H-he went to grab me, and I couldn't do anything. His tentacles…his voice…his eyes. Crimson eyes full of malice." Her fear permeated each sentence. But the quiver in her voice gradually seemed to dissipate as she expunged. "Did you know the real Naraku sold his soul to be with a princess, even though she already had a lover? It was folly, but his intentions may not have been totally impure. However, he ended up killing her. The power that was supposed to make him stronger resulted in his greatest loss. His very soul was drowned in that innocent red blood."

Drawing a deep breath, she tentatively ventured, "I think he really did love her in his own way. Otherwise he wouldn't be so good at making people suffer. He understood true suffering…what a tragic being…"

"You forgive the cretin," Sesshomaru harshly stated his question. He had patiently waited for her disclosure. But this was too much. The pent up fury was suddenly rattling against the cages of his control, and his claws crumbled the soap bar into useless lumps. 'How could she talk about her would-be-rapist like an actual person?'

She shook her head and rubbed the tense cords of his neck until he calmed slightly. "I just understand now. I can't heal without understanding." The logic finally filtered into Sesshomaru's reason – at least so he was no longer foaming soap.

"He really was a human at heart. Something Akira lacked. Akira never understood the heart, human or demon. That's why all those cruel plans had Naraku's signature all over them. Naraku knew how to undermine a person until he had nothing left. And Akira was insane enough to execute it without being caught," Kagome murmured.

Sesshomaru dissected the miko's words. It was true. Naraku had ruined his youth and ripped his family apart. He had almost broken then. Willpower, youthful resilience, and obligation had kept him grounded. But what if his obligation disappeared? What if war tore down his empire? And Kagome? If she died a horrible death at Naraku's hands? He would have broken. Gone completely insane and been put down as easily as a rabid animal. In retrospect, Akira's ignorance and premature execution of Naraku was a blessing. Had they worked together until the end, they would have destroyed him from the inside out.

"Naraku's perverse mind was indeed formidable in a way that Akira's genius could not compare to. Neither deserves your compassion," Sesshomaru rumbled in a voice laced with animosity. He pulled Kagome just a little closer.

"Nn," Kagome agreed. She gently accepted her mate's protectiveness and utter lack of sympathy. The dog demon would probably hold a grudge against them into the next lifetime. Somehow, the thought only made her heart lighten. It was as if he was worrying enough about her wellbeing for the both of them.

Nestled in his embrace, she could not have felt safer. The chill in her bones melted away leaving her limbs heavy and mind welcomely blank. "Stay like this for a little longer?" she meekly asked.

"Hm," Sesshomaru hummed in acquiescence. Closed off from the rest of the world, the couple soaked in quiet contentment.

Jaken's presence outside the hot springs ultimately signaled it was time.

"I need to go back," Kagome murmured to her mate. They had been basking in each other's presence for nearly an hour.

"You are not recovered," Sesshomaru stated the unsettling fact. She had depleted all of her reiki with that blast against Menomaru. In their short reprieve, his mate had barely regenerated enough for a weak barrier.

"There are only four more. I will manage," she replied without denying the truth of his statement.

"You do not have the reiki to defend against anymore courtship attempts," he contended. The anxiety was seeping into his voice even as he desperately tried to hide it.

Kagome smiled softly at the panic loudly drumming through the mating bond. 'You'd think he'd stop hiding it when I can so clearly feel him.' She kissed the tightness from his jaw. "There's a chance they succeed in scent marking me. But if I don't fight now, they are guaranteed a spot. One is already enough to deal with. You have to at least let me try to ward off the others."

Sesshomaru remained silent, obviously struggling against the instinct to protect her.

"Please, trust me. You can monitor from a distance to make sure none pull another stunt like Menomaru," Kagome gently pleaded.

After a few tense moments, the displeased demon lord let out a reluctant sigh. "Stubborn," he muttered. "This Sesshomaru cannot stop you," he stiffly gave his approval.

Kagome tenderly hugged him and nuzzled under his chin. "I promise I'll be careful." She then exited the water and quickly dressed before her resolve faltered. The very air around her suddenly felt hostile without Sesshomaru's protective aura engulfing her. Forcing herself not to dwell, she made her way out.

Sesshomaru's hand shot forward and wrapped around her wrist as she reached for the door.

Kagome paused and glanced back. Sesshomaru looked as if he was still trying to figure out how his hand moved without his consent. Slowly, he let go. His silent plea was evident even without the mating bond reinforcing the message.

Tears threatened to well in her eyes when she knew she could not answer it. Kagome grabbed for her mate's hand and firmly squeezed before letting go just as abruptly and running to the door. "I love you," she left him with a whisper.

"Okay Jaken, let's go," Kagome said as she briskly walked away from the hot spring.

Jaken hurried to catch up. "Yes, milady," he guiltily warbled. Even though the miko displayed no upset toward him, he still felt rotten for taking her away from his lord. The human miko had gained his begrudging respect over the last two years since she had crashed into their lives at the Western Citadel. As much as he hated to admit, the human was a great asset, and one of the few people to treat him with any modicum of respect. 'But she's still a troublesome menace,' he grumbled. Jaken cited this recent suitor fiasco as a perfect example.

"I want to change clothes. Get me 4 kimonos, one for each of the remaining suitors. I want about 10 layers. The nine outer layers will be the same color. I don't care what color. Spray them all down with a light perfume, nothing too obvious but still distinct. The inner one will be grey, not too dark. Make sure it's not wide-sleeved, and make sure all the ties are as simple as possible. Also, get Umi to put up my hair with simplistic, dull lacquered hair ornaments," Kagome rapidly rattled off her instructions. "Oh, and cut me a segment of dry bamboo, something I can fit easily in my sleeve."

Jaken looked bewildered at the barrage of strange orders, but immediately obeyed the steel in her voice. "Right away, milady," he answered, swallowing his curiosity.

"When you come to retrieve me, bring Kagura with you, as well as some blankets that have been fanned by a fire," she concluded.

Jaken hurried off to make the preparations.

Kagome quickly retreated to her chambers and awaited Umi. Now that she was behind closed doors, she sagged against the vanity. Sesshomaru was completely correct. These last four courtships would be hard to rebuff when she had no natural weapons to speak of. Aside from her waning powers, what did she have left? Human nails, human teeth, human strength.

There was really just one thing that was not inferior to a demon's – her intelligence.

Kagome reviewed her plan again in her head. 'Gods, I hope this crazy idea works…'

Once the preparations were ready, Kagome was led to a different part of the forest for the new suitor's courtship. The presentation went on as usual, but as soon as the bear demon left to hunt, Kagome charged her legs with her weak reiki and broke into a full run, sprinting into the woods opposite from where she saw the suitor disappear. The small speed boost would last only about ten minutes, and she'd have to cover as much ground as possible in that time.

All the locations for the courtships were near the citadel, and after cycling through each area once a day for the last month, she had the terrain memorized. Kagome weaved an intricate pattern around the forest, rubbing her scent on as much flora as possible. At various intervals, she'd swiftly untie a layer of her kimono and deposit it in a hidden alcove – within a large tree hollow, between large rock outcroppings, high in the dense foliage of an evergreen…the list continued.

When the reiki faded from her legs, Kagome had just finished hiding the last of her 9 outer layers. Clothed in her thin grey kosode, she retraced her last path to where she had bisected a medium sized river. Instead of jumping over it as she had done on her way there, Kagome carefully waded into the water. The river was connected to a hot spring source upstream, warming the early winter water even far downstream. Nonetheless, the lukewarm water was still chilly compared to her exerted body. Ignoring the shivers running through her, she forced herself deeper into the water.

Kagome let the water currents carry her down the river until she saw clusters of dead reeds lining the bank. She swam close to shore and pulled out the segment of dry bamboo Jaken had readied. Glancing down at the waist deep water, she was pleased that the grey hued kosode blended inconspicuously with the river bottom.

Sucking in a deep breath, she sealed her mouth over one end of the bamboo and submerged herself into the water until only the open end of the bamboo remained above water level. Since the bamboo was hollow, Kagome could easily breathe through the bamboo and hide herself beneath the water. A sharp eye would be able to spot the much thicker shaft of the bamboo compared to the surrounding reeds, but Kagome hoped it would take awhile before the suitor would even start looking near the river.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru closely monitored his mate's progress from high in the sky. Instead of waiting for the suitor to finish hunting and resisting him in plain view, Kagome wisely chose to send the demon on a chase. It was fully within the female's right to test a suitor's worth by presenting such a challenge to seek her.

Without sufficient reiki to shield her scent for the duration of the courtship, she had done the next best thing to hide from the bear demon. The clever woman had used the time the bear demon took to hunt to spread her scent throughout the entire sect of the forest relegated to the courtship.

Many demons, such as the bear clan, relied on scent. Only a superior nose would be able to tease out the multitude of trails she had made and uncover the barren hiding spots carrying a stronger smell from the clothing left there. She even partially altered her actual scent with a perfume.

Sesshomaru watched Kagome disappear under the water. A smirk made its way across his face. Her true location was quite ingenious, and her true scent was different enough from the presenting one to throw all but the best trackers off her trail.

The tension eased from his shoulders. Sesshomaru vaguely wondered why he ever doubted his intelligent little mate. Afterall, the reiki was only a piece of what made her Kagome. Seeing her display such prowess only confirmed this, and made him itch to test his own against her.

He watched the increasingly frustrated bear stomp across the forest, nowhere near the river. 'The heavens would fall before your pathetic hide could match MY mate's ability,' Sesshomaru huffed to himself. He almost felt sorry for the bloke. Almost.

Finally, the embarrassing show was over and Jaken dismissed the bear demon. Sesshomaru pulsed a reassurance through the mating bond and Kagome emerged from the water and started making her way to Jaken.

"Jaken? Kagura?" Kagome called out. Soaking wet in a thin inner kosode, she was freezing on the frigid bank. It was much too late in the year to be waltzing around in her current state, heated water or not.

Jaken and Kagura soon appeared before the quivering mass of miko.

"ACK! What have you done? Are you trying to get me killed?" Jaken squawked, looking paler and greener than usual. He was positive Lord Sesshomaru would smite him where he stood for bringing his mate back in less than perfect condition. This human was going to kill him.

Grabbing the heated blankets from the dumbfounded toad, Kagome stuttered out through her chattering teeth, "K-k-kag-gura, c-could yo-you dry m-m-me with a w-warm w-wi-wind?"

Comprehension dawned in the wind dragon's dark pink eyes. 'So that's why the miko sent for me.' With a flick of her fan, she summoned a warm front from the south and blasted the frozen miko with it.

Kagome let out a sigh of relief. The swirl of winds had dried her as quickly as she had hoped. Wrapping herself in a blanket, she made her way to the toad before he had a conniption.

"Thanks Kagura. Sorry guys. I didn't explain myself very well, but we were pressed for time. You can probably tell I barely have any reiki. I wouldn't be able to stop the remaining suitors with the frontal approach. So instead, I hid from them," Kagome explained. "This,"she waved a hand behind her at the river, "was my hiding spot. It's not ideal in this weather, but it worked."

"Yes, that suitor was quite upset you had eluded him," Kagura grinned in appreciation. "The look on his face…" she barely concealed her laughter behind her fan.

Jaken stared at the two conspiring females in horrified shock. 'How could they laugh the situation off when the Lady of the West had basically stripped herself bare and threw herself into a river? Did they not realize how DIFFICULT his job already was without their crazy shenanigans? Why, if someone had seen her in such a deplorable state, he'd never be able to contain the repercussions!'

"Have you no shame?" the diaphoretic toad shrieked. Whatever respect he had honored the wench with had disappeared without a trace. "How can the Lady of the West be so…so…UGH! Centuries of my dedication, wiped out by a single action…my lord…my life…diplomatic nightmare…disgrace of the century…my head…" His mumbling became increasingly hysterical until finally...

_Thud!_

Jaken passed out face first on the ground.

Kagome giggled at the toad's antics. Her laughter was infectious, and soon both females were chortling at the play of events. It was little moments like these that kept the miko sane. She was thankful for the reprieves that distracted from the hardships of the last month.

As the evening went on, Kagome continued to tactically outmaneuver the remaining suitors. The strategy was basically the same, but the astute miko adjusted her methods according to the location and type of demon she faced. Three of the the four demons had been scent dominant, and she had gone from freezing rivers to pungent swamp bogs to evade them.

By the end, she didn't even have the reiki to charge her legs. Luckily, the last suitor had been a sight based hawk demon. Kagome didn't have to cover large areas with her scent or blend into watery haunts. She simply camouflaged herself in the thick blanket of dried leaves at the base of a tree after casting her outer garments far about. Sometimes the best hiding spots were the most obvious.

"LADY KAGOME!" Jaken shrilly shouted into the forest. "Where is that infernal woman?" he muttered under his breath. The final suitor had left in a ruffle of feathers. This long, tedious month was mercifully over. As soon as the suitor departed, Kagura and Jaken had immediately begun scourging the riverbanks for the miko to no avail.

Then, Kagura noticed the forest floor shift and rise up next to Jaken. She prepared her fan to cut down whatever foe emerged from the brush. Just before she flicked her wrist, a voice stopped her.

"Kagura," the amorphous mound said.

It was Kagome. 'Gods, that stupid girl,' Kagura instantly deflated. "Don't 'Kagura' me you fool. A second later and you would have been piecemeal," she snapped in annoyance.

The leaves rustled and fell away as the miko walked forward.

Suddenly, Kagura gave a most uncharacteristic, graceless snort. The miko was covered entirely in thick mud, leaving not a single patch of clear skin. The dry foliage stuck to the mud encased woman in unflattering clumps, leaving only her big blue eyes untouched – a lumpy, boorish creature with large eyes.

"You could pass as Jaken's mother," Kagura dubbed.

The forest echoed with both the miko and toad's indignant screeches.

"I did it," Kagome breathed out in relief when Sesshomaru escorted her away from the defeated suitors. There had been nothing graceful or dignified about her evasions. They were messy escapes filled with grit and desperation so unbecoming for her station. She would never be the perfect lady – an imperturbable, elegant beauty. The realization was depressing, but she had persevered nonetheless. And now, she couldn't wait to sequester herself with the only male she ever wanted to be around.

Sesshomaru allowed a faint smile to ghost his lips. "Indeed." He had seen his resourceful little miko send full grown demons running in circles. Pride laced his deep baritone voice and soothed the sting of insecurity in her heart.

Despite her bedraggled appearance, Kagome gave a brilliant smile that made Sesshomaru's breath hitch and step falter. He leaned forward to capture those luscious lips. 'Just for tonight, Menomaru and the shikon can wait,' he thought, vowing to first reclaim the woman as solely his own.

Suddenly, Kagome's knees buckled and she was careening to the floor.

Sesshomaru caught the slumped woman with his quick reflexes. Horrified, he could only stare in wide-eyed shock at the limp form in his arm.

"SERI!" the demon lord roared.

Moments later, the ancient owl demon burst into the room and tried to pry the girl out of Sesshomaru's numb hold. "Lord Sesshomaru, please let go and step back. I need to see what's wrong with her," Seri firmly said in her best no-nonsense tone. However the immobile dog would sooner give up his remaining arm then let go. "For gods sake, she's not dead!" Seri impatiently snapped.

'She's not dead,' his mind echoed. Sesshomaru's body finally sputtered back into function at the proclamation. With his brain reconnected, Sesshomaru could clearly hear the flutter of Kagome's heart and see her chest rise with each shallow breath. He composed himself and stepped back.

Seri busily checked the miko's vitals and probed her with her youki. After a few tense minutes, she surmised, "She's got a nasty fever, likely a common human illness from dipping in all those icy puddles, and a case of exhaustion. I'll be back with medicine and fluids, but this shouldn't be life-threatening."

The night bore on as Sesshomaru watched Seri bustle around his mate. It wasn't until her fever broke and Seri retired that he edged back to the bed. Sesshomaru gazed down at the miko.

She was so small and fragile tucked in his voluminous futon. Her skin was sickly pale now that the fever's flush was gone, and her normally glistening hair fell in matted clumps around her tiny frame. A whine threatened to escape his throat at the sight. Instead, Sesshomaru gingerly settled on the edge of the bed, as if afraid to wake the unconscious woman, and cupped her clammy cheek.

This was going to be a long night.

The next morning, Kagome shifted in the futon and groaned. Her entire body ached worse than any training Sesshomaru had put her through, and her head felt about as clear as cotton. The dull throb around her temples pulsed with the slightest movement, and her throat could put sandpaper to shame.

The need for water finally overrode her discomfort, and Kagome forced open her bleary eyes. A blurry silver blob filled her field of vision.

"Sesshomaru?" she croaked out, blinking rapidly.

"Hm." Sesshomaru didn't know how to respond. He had kept an unerring vigil on the fallen girl long enough for the initial shock to fade. Now, he was left with a lingering fear and simmering anger. This alien feeling, worry, was completely unacceptable. Never had he been so incapacitated by the mere sight of her collapse. If he had just logically assessed her condition, he would have known she wasn't in any real danger. "You make this Sesshomaru a fool."

Kagome's eyes softened and she gave him a rueful smile. "I'm sorry I worried you," she translated his words.

"You compromised your health with your headstrong actions. No matter how clever, they were entirely unnecessary," he admonished.

"Glad you were impressed. I was quite happy with them too," she cheekily replied, trying to thaw his icy countenance.

"Kagome," he rumbled darkly.

Sighing, she recanted like a wayward child, "I'll be more careful next time."

"There won't be a next time," he rigidly insisted. He despised her human frailty. He abhorred her propensity for trouble. How could his, dare he say happiness, depend on such a delicate existence? Yet when he gazed into her glassy eyes, combed through her tangled mass of hair, and listened to her scratchy voice, he wanted nothing more than to be near her, ill or not. Ridiculous.

Kagome ignored her aching body and sat up to give Sesshomaru an apologetic kiss. "Don't be mad. I only did it to show them they could never replace you. Heck, I have half a soul and they still couldn't tame me. You're the only mate for me," she comforted. Her big, innocent blue eyes implored him to understand.

Sesshomaru slumped in defeat. He could never stay upset at her for long, especially not against that look. Moreover, the ego stroke was as obvious as it was effective. "Hm, you are becoming quite the vixen," he dryly commented while sliding behind her so she could rest against him. Gods he was becoming soft. He was no better than a common dog wagging after his master.

Kagome sighed in relief for the physical support and immediately snuggled into his chest. Mokomoko draped over her body in a protective embrace. "Only as much as you are cute," she murmured, already succumbing to fatigue.

When her breathing deepened, Sesshomaru shifted them down so they were both lying on the futon, and cuddled her tightly against him. Pride be damned, he would never let her go. "This Sesshomaru is not cute," he weakly retorted before joining his mate in slumber.


	39. Chapter 39

"Don't gimme that look," Inuyasha rolled his eyes at Sesshomaru. "That moth's got nothin' on me. I'll bash his head in for what he did to Kagome." There were only a few more minutes before he could let loose on the bastard in front of the whole citadel.

"Do not be over confident," Sesshomaru tersely reminded. It was thoroughly infuriating that the hanyou would get the satisfaction of dismembering the pathetic moth demon who dared to coerce HIS mate. Inuyasha was selected as Kagome's champion since Sesshomaru wasn't allowed to interfere with any suitors chosen during the trial courtship month. Sesshomaru's claws twitched. 'I should have killed the filth when I had the chance.'

As if reading his dark thought, Kagome quickly wrapped a placating hand around his arm. "No. It's better this way. The Demon Council is just waiting for you to slip up and give them a reason to punish you. Don't give Daichi the pleasure." Sesshomaru had technically violated the rules when he stepped in and stopped Menomaru during his rightful courtship. However, Menomaru hadn't reported the issue in fear of being exposed for attempting to force a mating.

"Kagome's right. If you had actually killed the bastard, they'd take a piece of the West, and you'd be whipped within an inch of your life. Probably personally by that fox. The Demon Council is brutal. How else do they keep all the alphas out there in line?" Inuyasha chimed in.

"This Sesshomaru bows to no one," he dangerously intoned in his chilling monotone.

"Not helping, Inuyasha," Kagome muttered, glaring at the oblivious, tactless hanyou. Turning her attention back to Sesshomaru, she tried to quell the rage screaming through the mating bond. "Think of it as killing Menomaru twice," she rushed out. "He would have died too fast from your gutting. Seri and I only healed him so he'd be out of our hair by week's end. He needs to be taught a lesson and…and…" Kagome grasped for ideas, "And live with the shame! What better punishment than to show the pompous demon that he can't even compare to the beta of the West?"

Inuyasha puffed up at the indirect compliment, and Sesshomaru's eyes glinted with violent glee at the prospect. "Hm," he yielded.

Kagome mentally sagged with relief. 'These stupid, incorrigible dogs will be the death of me,' she lamented. She glanced at the refined profile of her gorgeous mate. 'Gods, but so worth it,' she hopelessly sighed.

"Good luck, Inuyasha! Give him a nice hard punch for me," she cheered.

"Keh! When I'm done with him, he'll be wishing Ice Prick had finished him off," Inuyasha bragged.

It was Kagome's turn to roll her eyes as the hanyou walked off to the battle arena.

The fight, if it could be called that, was over in less than an hour. Since Inuyasha was aware of the hypnosis, he maintained a high level of youki output to buffet Menomaru's youki from infiltrating. Without that vital technique, Menomaru was a sitting duck. The hanyou exceeded him in both strength and speed. Shorn off wings, broken bones, shattered teeth. He pummeled the moth until he was unrecognizable. It was a massacre.

"Don't EVER mess with my pack again," Inuyasha growled into the half-lucid demon's ear. He then swung the moth around a few times before flinging him over the wall and out the citadel.

Kagome didn't take the obvious pleasure that the bloody affair had brought Sesshomaru, but she was glad the suitor was gone once and for all. Sesshomaru could now defend her against any future suitors. Kagome snorted at the thought. 'They wouldn't even get close enough to do the presentation.' She was about to go congratulate Inuyasha, but as soon as he vaulted out of the arena, he was surrounded by admirers.

The males were clapping him on the back, and regaling him with their embellished versions of the battle. This, Inuyasha expected. Although he was beta to the lord, he had earned a place with the common soldiers because of his bravery and crude disregard for customs.

What he didn't expect were the looks of invitation and subtle brushes of youki from the females in the crowd. As a hanyou, he was rarely given the light of day with any respectable female. His usual rutting partners consisted of omegas or other hanyous – he wasn't picky. All high level demons and humanoid hanyous were attractive, and that's all he needed in a bed warmer. But there were even some alpha females eyeing him!

'Shit, if I had known beating up a wimpy moth would get me this kinda attention, I'd have done it a long fucking time ago.' He'd never participated in a formal challenge before, and the unofficial ones against his brother weren't exactly the most flattering.

Kagome also noticed the pheromone spreading, and raised a brow. Knowing how outrageously awkward the hanyou was around females, she correctly suspected it was because none paid him any mind. "Seriously?" she quietly questioned in disgusted disbelief.

"Hm. It is our way. A demoness will always choose the victor," Sesshomaru explained. There was nothing surprising about the reception his brother was receiving. In fact, the hanyou was now eligible to take Menomaru's place and court Kagome. Sesshomaru knew his brother and his mate didn't view each other in that light. He _knew._ Yet, he couldn't help the restless irritation at the sight of Inuyasha.

Kagome gurgled a noise of indignation. 'Vapid! They didn't want to get to know him before he won.' She cut her eyes over to Kagura. The dragon demoness watched the little procession with cool indifference. If it wasn't for the way she was holding her fan as if she was ready to cut down a forest, Kagome would have been fooled.

Kagome grinned and slidled over to Kagura. "Ya know, if you scratch his ears, he'll turn into a puddle of goo," she whispered matter-of-factly.

Kagura flashed an irritated glare at the miko before resuming her nonchalant posture. "And how would you know such about your _mate's_ brother?" she bitingly responded.

"Who do you think braids his hair when he's got real work to do?" Kagome easily replied, unaffected by the sharp accusation. "Inuyasha would like it more if you did it though. You should offer. Think of it as a reward for his victory," she said before the demoness could throw out another barb.

The words died on Kagura's tongue at the prospect of doing something so bold. Before she could recover, the miko was already bouncing away and waving frantically to get Inuyasha's attention.

"What's got you in a tizzy, wench?" Inuyasha grunted as he broke away from the excited crowd.

In a low voice meant only for Inuyasha's ears, Kagome said, "Lots of girls out there eyeing you like candy."

Inuyasha immediately flushed. "W-Whatever!"

"Look, I'm asking this in all seriousness as your pack sister. Do you have someone in mind? Someone you're interested in?"

His gaze inadvertently darted to Kagura. "Keh!"

Kagome smiled knowingly. "Now wouldn't be a bad time to ah…show your interest? A girl would be flattered you wanted _her _out of all the ones you could choose from," she hinted.

"I'm a hanyou, Kagome," Inuyasha immediately rejected. "None of them seriously want me for more than a roll in the sack. It's all in the novelty. They'd fucking run for the hills if I showed them any real attention." His ears drooped at the reality of things. It wouldn't be the first time a demoness bedded him to satisfy some sick morbid curiosity and fuel her gossip circles.

Kagome stiffened in outrage at what her pack brother was implying. The hurt in his eyes was too real for him to be exaggerating. She boxed him soundly on the ears, painfully shaking Inuyasha from his gloomy outlook. "Then those bitches are blind and stupid! Would you let a lemming convince you to jump off a cliff?"

"Er…lemmings don't jump off cliffs…," Inuyasha hesitantly responded, still rubbing his ringing ears.

"Irrelevant! I'm saying, don't let the stupid convince you of their idiotic ideas," Kagome hissed in frustration. "Listen carefully, Inuyasha. You are strong, and smarter than you sound, with a heart of gold to match. I'm proud to have you as my pack brother. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

This was why Kagome was so special to him. She always could make him feel bigger than Mt. Fuji. Overwhelmed with emotion, Inuyasha locked her head close to his own, blocking out anyone's sight of his glistening eyes as he regained his composure. "Keh! Wench, I don't need you tellin' me that," he lied.

Kagome smiled into his chest. "That's the cocky dog I know. Now, go ask Kagura out to lunch. Before the challenge, I asked the cook to make your favorites. You can pack it all up and have a picnic. Your brother and I will catch up with you later," she quietly murmured.

They made their way back to Sesshomaru and Kagura. The two demons stood stiffer than statues.

"Oi, this place is too damn crowded," Inuyasha gruffly greeted the two. Neither demon responded. An image of their counterparts embracing another was still burning in their vision. The tension only grew.

"It's going to get a lot more crowded at the celebratory feast," Kagome chirped happily, ignoring the stifling atmosphere. "Your fans will be clobbering each other to get close to you."

Inuyasha could have hugged the woman all over again for so subtly giving him the out he needed. Schooling his face into disgust, he hollered, "Hell no! I already did my part. You clean up your own mess now. C'mon Kagura, let's get outta here before the woman gets any other ideas."

Without waiting to hear her reply, Inuyasha grabbed Kagura's hand and hastily led her away.

"But Inuyasha, you didn't even get a reward. How about a back rub for all your hard work?" Kagome called out to their retreating forms.

"And have that frosty bastard gut me?" Inuyasha glanced at his menacing brother before looking to Kagome in question. 'What was the wench up to now?' He had already gotten his cue. Shaking off his confusion, he honestly answered, "No thanks, I'm not that dumb yet."

Kagura caught the message just fine. The miko was giving her the excuse she needed to approach Inuyasha. Kagura wanted to smack the girl for scaring her. That hug had bothered her more than she was willing to admit. But her hand didn't feel like obeying while engulfed in Inuyasha's larger one.

As the couple left, Kagome curled her hands around Sesshomaru's arm and sighed happily.

"Back rub?" Sesshomaru quietly questioned. The teasing lilt normally present in such a statement was strangely absent.

"Oh don't you start," Kagome huffed in exasperation. She had never given anyone besides Sesshomaru a massage. Nor was she dense enough to randomly start offering now that she was mated. She looked at him as he shifted uncomfortably. "You can't seriously feel threatened by Inuyasha," she incredulously asked.

She was dead on, which only irritated Sesshomaru further. The woman was too observant for her own good sometimes. Sesshomaru clenched his jaw, refusing to sacrifice anymore of his dignity.

"Hm. Your efforts are wasted on one as thick as Inuyasha," Sesshomaru blandly diverted instead. His hearing was far superior so Kagome's conversations were no mystery to him. Logically, he knew her innocent match-making intentions. However, it was not within his control to stop the jealousy heating his blood. He couldn't talk reason into his instincts. 'How pathetic,' he sneered at himself.

"Ugh, I know. Knowing him, he'll reject Kagura's back rub in the most insulting way possible. All unintentionally of course," Kagome bemoaned.

Sesshomaru clearly wasn't paying attention to her answer. She could feel the pent-up frustration slithering through him from the mating bond. Considering what he was feeling, it was impressive he could keep such a stoic front. But he would need a release soon, whether it was from an unlucky animal…or something else.

"Mate, aren't you approaching this all wrong?" Kagome huskily whispered as she pressed her body into his and rocked her hips slightly. His member instantly hardened. Between fending off courtships and falling ill, they hadn't consummated their bond in nearly a week.

Sesshomaru needed no further prompting. In a low growl, he immediately whisked them away to their private chambers.

One week later

Seri walked in on the ruckus Kagome was making in her work room next to the infirmary. The room was a mess; scrolls spilled from her desk, and countless parchments were strewn about. Still, the miko grabbed more scrolls from the archaic bookshelves.

"What in the world are you doing?" Seri finally questioned after clicking her jaw back in place.

"Seri! I was just going to look for you," Kagome eagerly replied. "Do you have scrolls on anatomy? Preferably male demon anatomy? Or no, better yet, dog demon anatomy?" she gushed.

Seri held up a hand, stopping the barrage spilling from the girl's mouth. "Explain from the beginning. What has gotten into you?"

Kagome suddenly quieted. "I…it's not time yet. Seri, I promise to tell you when I'm ready. But for now, could you please help me without asking anything?" Her eyes were guiltily downcast.

The ancient owl demon studied the girl for a long moment. The girl was hiding something, but it obviously wasn't bad. Honestly, she probably didn't have a wicked bone in her body. Sighing, Seri finally relented, "You need to know dog demon anatomy?"

Kagome flashed a grateful smile. "I'm looking for scrolls detailing dog demon anatomy. There is such variance even within the species. Take Sesshomaru's poison capabilities for example. I want diagrams and texts outlining what's underneath all that perfect skin. I want to know more about my mate," she explained.

"You know, you can just ask him yourself," Seri began. She could have laughed at the look of dismay on Kagome's face at the discouragement. "However, I guess that would ruin the fun. I have all the scrolls you need in my room. Most are quite old, as I had documented them in the time of Lord Sesshomaru's grandfather. He had commissioned me after the birth of Inu no Taisho to learn everything in regards to his clan's health so that I may best serve the House of the Moon." She was still a young thing back then, Seri reminisced.

This was so much more than Kagome had expected. "Seri, you are the best!" she excitedly exclaimed while trapping the owl in a bear hug. Kagome was almost tempted to blurt out all her plans to the healer and ask for her help.

'No. I have to make sure it's possible before getting everyone's hope up,' she chastened herself. Afterall, Kagome had been mulling over how to heal Sesshomaru's severed arm ever since she understood his self-deprecating views on it.

However, she barely knew where to start. Her healing powers relied on replicating surrounding tissue to repair a wound. But a cut limb had no 'surrounding tissue.' While the truncated end would provide some basis, there was no scaffold to give any replicated material a form. It'd be one amorphous blob of bone and tissue hanging from the end of the stump. All in all, she needed to create her own scaffold.

And that's what brought her here. Kagome had to study the original before she could mimic it. As for _how_ to make the scaffold…well, she'd figure that out later.

Kagome quickly grabbed a few of the ancient texts, still well preserved on strung together bamboo strips, and retired to her work room. Sesshomaru was planning on departing the next day on a quest for answers about the shikon no tama. It was bound to be a long trip, and she refused to postpone her research any longer.

It was a bleary day. The sky was painted in the gray gloom of an impending storm, and the morning mist had yet to dissipate. Still, a small group congregated in the courtyard, immune to the ominous weather.

Kagome teetered precariously as she stepped into the bitter winds sweeping across the open yard. A comically huge bag of materials slung over her shoulder further conspired to send her toppling. Miraculously, the miko managed to stay grounded as she made her way toward her traveling company. She cheerfully smiled at Sesshomaru and the band of five soldiers behind him. After the fiasco in the Holy Village, Sesshomaru insisted on an entourage for protection during outings.

"Gods, woman! Did you pack your whole fucking room in there?" Inuyasha commented about her hideously overstuffed bag. He was only there to wish them luck on their journey, but looking at that gigantic bag, he wondered if he wasn't in fact needed.

Kagura flicked her fan, stealing Inuyasha's breath before he could further insert foot in mouth. The hanyou sputtered and noisily sucked for air.

"Really, shouldn't you know by now never to question what a female's bag holds?" Kagura blandly scolded. The demoness then glanced at the enormous bag warily…then again Inuyasha may not have been that far off. "You didn't, right?" she asked the miko.

Kagome glared playfully at the pair sending her off, but quickly noticed even the soldiers were looking at her as if she were crazy. "Hmph. You'll be thanking me when we have spices to cook with, and fire starters in the rain," she huffed. Kagome wasn't going to mention that almost a third of the bag was filled with anatomy scrolls.

"Keh! They don't need that stuff. We aren't weak hum- "

Sesshomaru flung Inuyasha soundly into the ground with his acid whip before he could finish that statement. He didn't need the imbecile pointing out disturbing differences between the two species without appreciating the ramifications.

It was true demons had little need for spices or fire. But Kagome did. That monstrosity his mate called a bag probably also contained extra winter blankets, medicines, wares to cook in, and emergency food rations. Without all that, his human mate would not survive a months-long journey in the heart of winter.

Sesshomaru forced down a wave of protectiveness that threatened him to call off the entire trip. This quest was necessary, and Kagome's role was irreplaceable, he firmly reminded himself. The Demon Council had yet to find a solution to the Shikon no Tama. There were countless ancient recordings of the original one that the elders were currently sifting through. It would take…

'Too long,' his mind provided. Kagome's soul was still partly trapped in the abominable jewel. Without it, she was too vulnerable. Not only were her defenses diminished, but pupping her in this condition was out of the question. Mixing reiki and youki was already dangerous enough without the added complication of a warped jewel.

The daiyoukai resisted the urge to growl. Instead, he whirled around and headed for the gate. Sesshomaru sincerely hoped Byakuya would prove useful. This journey was primarily geared towards finding the incarnate for some insight into the jewel. It was a gamble, but far better than waiting ages for immortals to dig through their endless history.

Moreover, human knowledge had not been explored yet. As seen from Kaede's soul link technique and Kikyou's reiki suppressant, the spiritual humans had more than a few secrets. Hopefully there was something of use in respect to destroying the jewel. The old miko's untimely passing truly was unfortunate.

Dragging himself out of his dark thoughts, Sesshomaru made a discrete nod at Ah Un without breaking stride.

As commanded, the beast slowly lumbered over to Kagome and nudged her pack meaningfully. Kagome blinked at the two-headed dragon before understanding its intent. "Oh! Thank you Ah Un! You are such a sweetie!" she gushed while handing her burden over to the beast.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru mentally winced at the bubbly amusement coming through the mating bond. It was mockingly obvious his observant mate didn't believe for a second that Ah Un had come to her of its own will. 'It matters not as long as the others are unaware,' he attempted to soothe his wounded pride. Mercifully, Kagome did not continue her teasing.

Barely a day of travel out, the group was confronted. A band of demons led by a brown inuyoukai wearing the regalia of a noble steadily approached the travelers.

"Lord Sesshomaru, how pathetic you are now," the leader sneered before them. "You were once fearless, and respected by all. But you threw all that away to bed a _human _whore. And now?" His scathing glare scanned the entourage. "Crippled, you can only huddle together like sheep. How low you ha-"

Sesshomaru backhanded the demon harshly into the ground. "Masahiro," Sesshomaru said in a chillingly quiet tone. "Disrespect this one and his mate again and your life is forfeit."

Masahiro swiftly stood up, wiping the blood away from his broken nose. "NO! You are no longer worthy of my allegiance! I challenge you, Lord Sesshomaru," he barked.

Kagome's eyes widened as Jura gently guided her to the side with the other soldiers. A wide margin was immediately cleared around the two demons.

"Lady Kagome, we must witness the challenge," Jura murmured.

The message was clear: 'Don't interfere.'

Kagome bit her tongue. This was a formal challenge. It was Sesshomaru's duty to defend their honor and his position as lord. While he had been getting these challenges almost nonstop since the Akira-Naraku incident, this was the first time Kagome had seen it. She had been too busy with the courtship month to notice. They were little concern when she was fully confident no one could beat the Killing Perfection in a fair fight.

But now, as the two demons faced off with rising youki, the reality finally sunk in. The lost limb may have been a catalyst, but it was actually _her _they objected to so vehemently. Kagome ducked her head, taking a moment to collect herself. She shouldn't have been surprised by the magnitude of animosity directed at her. She had anticipated this when she decided to participate in the rite. And yet…

Seeing the brown inu's eyes flashing with betrayal and anger at Sesshomaru, Kagome felt her stomach drop and her heart twist with dismay. She looked over to the four guards who had accompanied Masahiro. Their faces were grim – they knew their lord would die against Lord Sesshomaru.

"Masahiro…I know this name," Kagome slowly said. "The same Masahiro as the minor lord governing the southern district of the Western Lands?"

"Yes, my lady," Jura neutrally answered.

A loud crash interrupted Kagome's musings. The brown inu had been hurled to the ground, forming a deep crater as all his long bones broke with the impact. Sesshomaru, still pristine, floated down beside the limp body and pointed his sword at the demon's throat.

Masahiro simply stared at his Reaper with sadness. "How great you would have been, if not for that harlot," he whispered wistfully.

Sesshomaru replied by lifting his sword to strike him down. His eyes were glacial, and the serene perfection of his face never faltered. The Killing Perfection.

"Stop!" Kagome shouted, scrambling down the crater and directly into the path of Sesshomaru's sword. The demon lord instantly halted. "I pardon his discretions against my honor in light of his continued reverence of my lord," she rushed out.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his soft-hearted mate. "Insult against the Lady of the West is equivalent to treason against the West. This Sesshomaru cannot overlook the transgression," he coldly stated. There was no room for mercy.

Seeing the hardness in her mate's – no the Lord of the West's – eyes, Kagome replied, "Then leave his punishment to me. I have the right to fight for the honor of my household as well." Her tone brooked no argument, but her sapphire orbs silently pleaded.

The demon lord sheathed his sword and turned around. "He is yours."

"I'd rather die by torture than be tainted by your filthy human presence!" Masahiro shouted in outrage. Bloody spittle flew from his mouth, but his shattered body refused to retaliate.

Kagome rounded on the insolent noble, smothering him against the crater wall with her reiki, and smacking him harshly across the cheek. "That is _enough_," she commanded with an authority that could rival Sesshomaru's.

It momentarily froze the brown inu.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome regained her calm. "Lord Masahiro, governor of the Southern District in the Western Lands, and loyal subject to the House of the Moon. You have fulfilled your duty admirably, producing plentiful havests every year. As the major farming district for the West, your efforts are invaluable to the wellbeing of the people of these lands. So tell me with the same eloquence I have seen in your reports, what is it about me you find so unworthy? Why do you betray your loyalty and dedication?"

The miko paused, taking in the shocked expression on the inu's face. He had not anticipated her, of all people, to be knowledgeable of his work, let alone singing his praises.

"You are weakness," Masahiro finally began. "Your staying hand may seem merciful to you, but it is pure folly. Tell me, how many did you kill in the Demon Rite?"

'None.' The unspoken answer hung heavily in the air.

"You will come to regret sparing the lives of your enemies. We will only challenge you again, and with sufficient reprieve, we will overcome you. All demons know this concept. By denying such, you prove you are unfit for this demon world!" The conviction in his declaration reverberated across the glen.

Kagome angled her head up haughtily and boldly returned, "Then I'll be waiting for you. I'll defeat you as many times as it takes for you understand _whom _exactly you serve."

Masahiro's mouth fell open as he floundered unsuccessfully to trump the miko's audacity.

"Are you sure that 'demon' concept of yours isn't just cowardice?"

"Bitc-"

"Tell me, Lord Masahiro, how many demons disprove of my lord's choice in mate?" Kagome interrupted. "How many despise my human nature? Or better yet, my _miko _nature? Half the nobles? Two thirds?"

"I am not perfect. If I killed everyone who went against me, how many will be left? How many will seek my life as revenge for the lives lost? Wouldn't this vicious cycle only justify your hate for my kind?" Kagome quietly asked the pinned inu.

He had no response to the logic she presented.

"Lord Masahiro, you are a worthy vassal. Otherwise my lord would have struck you down on that first blow. Do not waste such favor, or I will take your life myself." Her eyes flashed with dangerous certainty.

Giving the stunned demon one last glance, she rhetorically asked, "Will you look past your prejudice, or will we once again meet at a blade's edge?"

Kagome stood up and started to rejoin her traveling group.

"I do not approve of you yet. I will fight you," Masahiro warned.

"Yet," Kagome emphasized with a grin. "I'll be happy to remind you who your alphas are," she goaded before altering her reiki into a soothing balm.

The inuyoukai responded to her challenge with a withering glare. But his expression soon melted as the pain from having almost a dozen bones broken faded away. A few minutes later, the only mark remaining was the burnt hand print on his cheek left from the miko.

"Why would you heal me?" Masahiro angrily retorted. He did not want to feel the twinge of respect he felt for the human. Her reasoning, her challenge, her power. He did not want to acknowledge it!

"I like your straightforward manner," she airily waved off his reaction. This minor lord was honorable to fight a lost battle purely on principle. Foolishly stubborn, but admirable nonetheless to uphold his beliefs so ferverently. Kagome turned back to Sesshomaru and resumed their trek.

With a furious growl, the inu screamed at their backs, "I will fight you!"

Kagome simply waved her hand without turning around. "Say that to me when you're more…presentable," she called back, hinting at his unsightly cheek.

Masahiro covered his marked cheek, but made no move to get up from the crater. He sat there gazing into the forest well after the Lord and Lady of the West had disappeared into it.

"I was utterly defeated, wasn't I?" he murmured to no one in particular.

"My lord," one of his guards neutrally replied, unable to deny the truth.


End file.
